ALTON - An ALS Ice Bucket Challenge will bring the community together for a worthy cause on Saturday morning Downtown Alton.
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Participants are asked to arrive at 9:45 a.m., the Alton Fire Department will be on the scene and will soak the crowd of ALS supporters at 10 a.m.
Alton Fire Chief Bernie Sebold has been an active participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. RiverBender.com and the local ALS chapter are working collectively on the event.
Dan Pyle, the co-coordinator with RiverBender.com owner John Hentrich, said everyone will get drenched at 10 a.m. following a challenge to three individuals to contribute and assist with the ALS Campaign.
The challenge will take place on the corner of Belle Street and Third Street in Alton, just outside the RiverBender.com Community Center doors.
ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The Yankee slugger Gehrig died of ALS complications at age 37 on June 2, 1941.
“Bernie Sebold, the Alton Fire Chief, came out last year and made a lot of sacrifices helping us,” Pyle said.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral last year and videos flooded the internet with ice bucket challenges. Communities across the globe came together in support of the cause. According to als.org, $220 million was raised in 2014 from around the world for ALS research and patient care. RiverBender.com and coordinators hope for a similar outcome and continue to support the fundraising effort.
“We will be issuing challenges and have places set up for people to do this,” he said. “We will also have a donation bucket there. This is just like the other national events you see.”
Hentrich said it is fantastic to see the community come together unselfishly for a fund raiser, regardless of what group they are a part of or company they are with.
“We all gather in the street for a common, good cause,” he said. “It is also awesome to see our fire department, in particular Bernie Sebold, the fire chief, so willing to help out with the event.”
So far, the local challenge has more than 200 people who say they plan to attend the event and Pyle said he hopes for 200-300 to take part. The Executive Director of Alton Main Street, Sara McGibany, will be encouraging people to attend from the Farmer’s Market in Downtown Alton on Saturday morning.
Last year, a lot of teenagers participated, Pyle said, and that was great to see young people learning such a positive community service act.
“Nobody was ready for the water to come down last year,” he said. “This means a lot to stand up with ALS as a voice for them in any capacity.”
Those wishing to participate should gather in front of RiverBender.com by 9 a.m. on Saturday.
