Is There Anyone Else Out There Sick and Tired of the ALS Ice Water Challenges?!?

Ok. I'm tired. I'm tired of seeing people dump ice water on their heads. I'm tired of seeing girls clothesline themselves after running away from the water. I'm tired of seeing old lady boobs after they wash away their tube tops with a huge bucket of ice water. I'm tired of celebrity challenges, groups of giddy cheerleaders and droves of regular people blindly dumping water on themselves. Stop it already! You've given the ALS Association 4 years worth of donations in one summer. The campaign was a success! Congratulations!

The issue is not donating to the ALS Association, it's the fact that people are doing it because it's trendy; because it gives them a reason to pour water on themselves. I wonder how many people just dumped some water on their head and didn't donate a dime. If you did the challenge but didn't donate, that's kinda douchy. The idea behind the challenge isn't bad. Donating to a good organization isn't bad. But this right here? This right here? This ice bucket challenge right here, has become something on another level.

Misguided Donation Dollars
Your donating dollars are precious and you should treat every dollar as if it were still backed by gold! If you did the challenge and donated, no, you didn't make a mistake. Who can fault you for donating to a good cause? I'm not going to. But I'm going to challenge you, the next time you do decide to donate, to educate yourself and send your dollars to an organization that
1. you have an interest in
2. impacts you or your family in some type of way
3. is well established and reputable
4. allocates your funds in a way that sits well with you and your pocketbook
I dare say, many of ya'll that did the challenge, didn't think past a bucket of ice water, your camera phone, and your ice bucket hit list.

Sustainability of Your Donation
If asked, everyone cares about starving children. Everyone cares about cancer. Everyone cares about endangered species. Everyone cares about the environment. The vast majority of us have a compassionate heart. There are many organizations out there who want the compassionate money that your compassionate heart compels. The battle over many global and social issues is ongoing. Here's a novel idea: again, think about something that has moved or impacted you- be it a disease, or a social cause and do more than just post witty memes on you Facebook page. Put your money where your mouth is and budget a portion of your yearly salary (even if it's less than 1%) and PARTNER with an organization!

Here's a for instance:
My 4 year old youngest son was diagnosed with Sickle Cell (SC) Disease at birth. That's a disease that just by my son's diagnosis has impacted my ENTIRE family. Sickle Cell Disease is a rarer genetic disease (similar in it's rarity to ALS) that affects the shape of a person's red blood cells. September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month. I feel compelled to share about it, particularly this month because it is a disease that hits close to home so I'm already emotionally invested in eradicating and kicking Sickle Cell's ass if at all possible. If I'm looking into donating my money to a foundation, this would be a good starting place. I should probably get my booty on the internet and research the various organizations related to the disease and choose which one is the most reputable and best fit for my budget and has the best intentions for my hard-earned dollars. I haven't done this yet but I've just totally convicted myself to do so. Real time. Gosh! I hate when that happens.

Photo: Jag_cz Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Don't judge those who don't participate.
I've seen some interesting posts by people who didn't participate in the ice bucket challenge. They were all very apologetic in nature and gave me the feeling like these bloggers felt that if they didn't explain why they're not doing it and what they are doing in the way of philanthropic endeavors; that the Ice Bucket Gestapo would gather them up and give them 20 lashes with a cat-o-nine tails dipped in ice water. Everyone has their reasons! Here's another for instance: My 4 year old....... he would probably never ever participate in such a challenge because extremely cold water and people with a Sickle Cell diagnosis don't mix. The sudden shift in temperature could onset a pain crisis that could put them in the hospital. Just sayin'........

In short, think before you act. Even if it's a good cause. Make your dollars count. And finally, don't be all judgy and stuff. You definitely look better drenched in ice water than cloaked in judgement!

If you'd like to learn more about Sickle Cell Disease, check out this link! Or this one. Or this one too.


Check this link out to see what the ALS Association says about its giving practices.