More than a decade after the Ice Bucket Challenge swept the internet and raised millions for ALS research, a Providence running club is bringing it back.
Gansett Run Club, ALS Rhode Island, and Narragansett Brewery will host a community Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday, August 12, at the brewery’s Providence location at 271 Tockwotton Street. The event begins with Gansett Run Club’s weekly 6 p.m. run, followed immediately by the challenge.
The event is free to participate. Organizers are asking for a suggested minimum donation of $10 made directly to ALS Rhode Island, and participants who donate will receive one complimentary beverage from Narragansett Brewery. All proceeds benefit ALS Rhode Island, which provides support, advocacy, education, and equipment assistance to Rhode Islanders living with ALS and their families.
The need for awareness remains urgent and personal. “There are people out there who know nothing about ALS… I was one of those people before I was diagnosed,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Matt Rocheleau, who is living with the disease.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. It gradually takes away a person’s ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe.
The original Ice Bucket Challenge in the summer of 2014 inspired 17 million people to participate and raised $115 million for The ALS Association, bringing unprecedented attention to the disease and accelerating research. Organizers hope the August 12 event will build on that legacy while renewing support closer to home.
Those interested can join the run, take the challenge, or both. For more information, contact Gansett Run Club at gansettrunclub@gmail.com or 401-374-3592.
