Ice Bucket Challenge At EKU

Eastern Kentucky University President, Dr. Mike Benson and other administration officials had buckets of ice water dumped on their heads Monday afternoon to raise money and awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. 

The disease affects nerve cells, causing a loss of muscle control, which often leads to paralysis and death.

The ALS Association said in the three weeks since the ice bucket challenge began, it had received $15.6 million in donations.

That was up from the $1.8 million raised during the same period last year, according to the association.

In Kentucky, the association said it had a nearly 500% increase in online donors and it directly credited the ice bucket challenge for the growing support.

The ALS Association said before this social media movement began, only about half the country had heard of ALS.

President Benson challenged fellow university president’s in Kentucky, Eli Capiluto, Jim Ramsey and Wayne Andrews to take the challenge. 

They had 24 hours to donate or dump a bucket of ice water on their heads.