A cool new viral trend promoting awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), called the Ice Bucket Challenge,” has spread to Victoria.
The challenge involves the participant dumping a tub of icy water over their own head, and started appearing online late last month.
For those who take part, it’s customary to issue the challenge to others, which has helped it spread across Hollywood, with many celebrities taking up the challenge on television and online.
Ellen Mahoney, president of the ALS Society of B.C.’s Victoria chapter, and Rasool Rayani, co-coordinator of Victoria’s annual Walk for ALS took the plunge themselves Friday to bring attention to the Walk.
“It doesn’t matter how we do it, we just want to raise awareness for ALS,” Mahoney said. “We definitely want a cure for the 3,000 Canadians living with the disease.”
Mahoney and Rayani issued the challenge to 11 others, including Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin and Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard.
The society managed to raise $55,000 through last year’s Walk for ALS, and are hoping the Ice Bucket Challenge will bring more people to the walk and help them raise even more.
The Walk for ALS takes place Sept. 14, 11:30 a.m., starting at parking lot six of the University of Victoria.