PennWell execs doused for ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Aug. 28, 2014
Imagine if you could get your boss to take the ice bucket challenge, but instead of just one bucket, you used ten. Sounds fun right?

Imagine if you could get your boss to take the ice bucket challenge, but instead of just one bucket, you used ten. Sounds fun right?

It was.

On August 26, two of our company’s executives in our Nashua, NH branch decided that they would accept the ice bucket challenge. In total, our teamraised nearly $1,600 in a day to see our colleagues get drenched. As a result of our team’s collective fundraising, Senior Vice President Christine Shaw and Group Publisher Ernesto Burden decided that one wouldn’t be enough, and instead, they would be taking the challenge with a total of 10 buckets each.

This challenge hit close to home, as our colleague Meg Fuschetti lost her husband to the disease three-and-a-half years ago. So in honor of Steven Fuschetti, Meg and her sons, along with a few other employees, had the rare opportunity to throw buckets of cold water on two executives of our branch:

The Ice Bucket Challenge, for those of you who may be unfamiliar, involves a person dumping a bucket of water and ice over their head, making a small donation to theALS Association, and then nominating a few of their friends and family to do the same. Those who choose not to accept the challenge are then tasked with making a larger donation. Anyone questioning the validity or effectiveness of this campaign should know that the ALS Association has received $94.3 million between July 29 and August 27, compared to $2.7 million years for the same time period a year ago.

All the money raised is contributed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research, a disease that is often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow, and breathe.

In 2008, my uncle, who had been a world-traveling, erudite, and overall cheerful man, lost his battle with ALS. Since then, my family and friends have been participating in a local ALS Walk to raise money for the association. This year alone, our regional walk has already raised almost $50,000 for ALS research.

How many people knew what ALS did to a person prior to this campaign? A $91.6 million year-over-year increase speaks for itself. The idea of seeing people, whether friends, family, orformer U.S. presidents, douse themselves with a bucket of ice water is not only for a good cause, but fun!!

About the Author

James Carroll

Former VSD Editor James Carroll joined the team 2013.  Carroll covered machine vision and imaging from numerous angles, including application stories, industry news, market updates, and new products. In addition to writing and editing articles, Carroll managed the Innovators Awards program and webcasts.

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