Instead, I gave those challenged forty
eight hours and I asked that they donate
$20.00 and do the ice bucket. If not, I
asked that they donate $100.00 to the
ALS Association. My NAMBA ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge started off with the
NAMBA Executive Committee along
with the District Directors within the two
districts I race. So, you can imagine how
excited Robert Holland, Ted McKay, Al
Waters, Rob Martinez and Jerry Wright
were to receive their challenge.
This challenge was e-mailed to each
along with confirmation of my donation.
The challenge was also posted on
Facebook and Jim’s RC Boat Dock.
Once the challenge was accepted and
other challenges were made, the
challenge became viral within the R/C
boat racing community. We are all
getting a great laugh out of seeing people
take a bucket of ice water over their
heads. We are also able to raise
awareness for this degenerative disease
as well as raise money for the ALS
Association. We are a small part of the
$31.5 million dollars raised to date, but
we are still helping make a difference.
If you are interested in learning more
about ALS or would even like to donate,
please check out www.alsa.org
Editors note: As of the middle of
September 2014 the ALS Association had
received 113.6 million dollars in
donations. Many NAMBA members
participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge
and a thank you goes out to all of them
as well as Jay Stone who has a way of
bringing us all together for a good
cause.
PROPWASH
6
October 2014
NAMBA and the ALS Challenge
By Jay Stone
NAMBA Gas Chairman
If someone said the words Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, would you know what
that meant? Thanks to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that has swept the nation by
storm, more American’s are aware of this disease. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a
progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord as
well as the brain. As nerve cells die, a person begins to lose voluntary muscle control
and movement. The best way to describe this disease would be to explain that you will
become paralyzed over time. As you become paralyzed, all muscle control will be lost
including your heart and lungs ability to function. This disease causes a body’s muscle
control and mass to deteriorate and results in eventual death.
If I said the name Lou Gehrig, would you have any idea who I was talking about?
Lou Gehrig was a major league baseball player for the New York Yankees from 1923
to 1939. Lou Gehrig was a seven time All-Star, six time World Champion and won the
Triple Crown in 1934. He was the American League MVP twice, and he was the first
major league player to have his number retired. Gehrig held countless records and
received many well deserved accolades. However, he was nicknamed “Iron Horse”
because he played 2,130 consecutive major league games without ever missing a
pitch. In 1939, his streak of games ended because of his noticeable deterioration in
ability and he asked to be replaced on the roster. It was determined that Gehrig
suffered from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The disease was always known as “Lou
Gehrig’s Disease” after his diagnosis. Lou Gehrig died two years later from ALS at
the age of 37.
In two short paragraphs, I was able to give you a little bit of insight into a disease in
which there is no known cure. Raising ALS awareness is the goal of the ALS
Association. In doing so, they are able to aid in research and support efforts through
the donations they receive from generous individuals across the world. In 2013, from
July 29th to August 20th, the ALS Association received $1.9 million dollars in
donations. During that same time frame in 2014, the ALS Association had received
$31.5 million dollars. That is right at sixteen times the support and all because of a
simple challenge that has now gone viral.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I believe in supporting worthy organizations.
As I watched this challenge blow up all over the internet, I decided I would do my part
and create the challenge of my own. I did, however I changed the rules up a bit. The
typical challenge calls for an ice bucket to be dumped over a person’s head within
twenty four hours or make a donation if you did not complete the challenge.
A to “remain nameless” NAMBA member accepts Jay Stone’s ALS Challenge