Creative Door Takes the Ice Bucket Challenge and Raises Over $2,000 for ALS

It seems that the story behind the unprecedented social media awareness and fundraising campaign for ALS has come full circle.  Often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Gehrig, one of the most beloved baseball players of all time, was diagnosed with the disease in 1939 and was the first person to bring public attention to it.  Now in 2014, Pete Frates, a baseball prodigy and former Boston College baseball captain who was diagnosed when he was just 27 years old, has reignited public awareness of the disease and done so on a grander scale than anyone could have dreamed.

“This is something we could have never imagined,” said ALS Association President and CEO, Barbara Newhouse.  "This is a game-changer for us in terms of awareness," she said. "There are young people who aren't familiar with who Lou Gehrig is and this has allowed ALS to take on a life of its own.”

The Ice Bucket Challenge, as you’re probably aware, works where someone nominates you either to douse yourself with a bucket full of water and ice or send $100 to the ALS Association. The ALS Association did not invent the challenge, it was a challenge that Pete Frates took notice of and had the insight to put into action, though even in his wildest dreams Frates could not have envisioned the reach and impact it would have.

It was first initiated as a challenge issued by Frates' friends and family to Boston area athletes. From there the challenge spread throughout the sports world, onto celebrities and even high ranking politicians; George W. Bush, Jimmy Fallon, and Oprah are just a few of the many who have taken part.

The money raised by the campaign has reached levels unimaginable for the ALS Association.  According to the ALS Association, “As of Monday, August 25, The ALS Association has received $79.7 million in donations compared to $2.5 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 25). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.7 million new donors to The Association.”

We are proud to share that our Creative Door Calgary, Edmonton, and Fort McMurray branches are amongst the 1.7 million new donors. After hearing Frates’ story, Chris Strong, branch manager of Creative Door Calgary, was eager to rally his troops to raise money for the cause. Creative Door Calgary employees proceeded to challenge David Fraser, president of Creative Door Services and the Creative Door Executive Team along with all branch managers and staff, and the CHBA of Calgary.  Check out our Calgary office video here.

When Damien Mellsen and our Creative Door Fort McMurray branch heard about the Calgary branch challenge, they were also onboard.  The Fort McMurray branch gladly accepted the challenge and again David Fraser was nominated, along with the Edmonton and Corporate office teams.  Between the two branches, over $1,000 has been raised for the ALS Foundation.  Click here to watch the video.

So where does all of the money raised go?  

The ALS Association has begun putting those donations to work.  New research grants, funding for its research programs, money to support NEALS, a non-profit group of clinics and universities dedicated to ALS research and development, and funds for ALS victims are just a few of the ways the money is being used.

For those suffering with ALS, the money means new awareness about the degenerative disease and the hope that more pharmaceutical companies and other industry players will focus on developing novel therapies due to the influx of awareness and funding.

Sufferers of the disease, along with their friends and family know all too well that the challenge goes on, but now thanks to Frates and many others, they are not fighting the fight alone.

Click here to watch the full video Pete Frates’ story.