Ice + Water + ALS fundraiser = Brilliant

The ALS ice bucket challenge has made an impression and raised more money than anyone could have imagined. Simply put it’s BRILLIANT! I haven’t been asked to do the challenge in anyone’s video but my nephew did ask me in a comment on Facebook. His video was not with ice but was similar to Charlie Sheen’s in that he put the money that he was going to donate in the bucket and dumped that on his head.

I thought about dumping ice on my head, I did. To what end I contemplated.

As my goal is to inspire I opted, instead, to write about it as it totally inspired me. People all around the world, of all ages, of all income levels participated and continue to participate. I understand there were two goals;

1. To raise awareness;
2. To raise money.

Both of which continue today, as of July 29 they had raised over 93 million dollars!! Sadly the Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder died in a diving accident. Read about that here.

Some people who did the challenge donated some to ALS and some to their favorite cause. I like that. A remarkable fundraising appeal like this one could devastate other worthy causes if folks forgot about them. I hope that ultimately people’s consciousness for giving was raised on all levels. If you have a cause, please give.

There are many ways to give to others and that is my challenge to you! Find a way to give and keep giving AND If you are tight on cash, that’s no excuse, there are many ways you can give to others.

• Go on vacation and help others and/or take your used clothes and computers for those in need, my fave is a little school, Escuela San Quintin, near us in Vallarta Nayarit, check them out here
• Use your vacation time to help build a home for a family in need. Check out Cambiando Vidas in the Dominican Republic where Chris and I worked here.
• Go on vacation and help at an orphanage, my favourite is Manos de Amor read about it here
• Clean out your closet and donate your clothes to a thrift store that uses the money from the sales to help those in need. My favorites are the SOS Children’s Village BC Thrift Stores. If this concept seems t0o arduous read my friend Tracey’s blog suggesting how to glean the best from your closet, here.
• Donate time to that thrift store as they are run by generous folks donating their time.
• Do you have a service or product you could donate? Most causes love items for their live and silent auctions. Some even give you a tax receipt.
• Make a meal for someone who cannot get out or who gets little company and take it to them.
• Help a senior with garden work or cleaning or ???
• Help at a school, I just learned that schools are in great need of volunteers to do things as simple as reading to children.
• Participate in a run, walk or other activity where your participation raises funds. There are many and you get healthy when doing so.
• Endless causes, endless need… do something good today!

Great causes:

Help my friend Sonny get stem cell research so he can walk again; go here.

Help foster children at SOS BC

MPS, read about it here.

Help others to B R E A T H here

Of course there are the big causes and small ones; you decide.

If you have a favorite cause please add it in the comments section.

More brilliance.

Matt Damon on water and the challenge and why he’s dumping toilet water on his head. Watch it here.

 

 

More on ALS

ALS site gives all the info anyone would need to know about this disease including many more celebrity challenges..

Read about what An ALS Family REALLY Thinks About the Ice Bucket Challenge here.

Lots of celebrities and others doing the challenge here.

 

I’ve been inspired by the best! Read about my in-laws devotion to the children here

 

 

 

If an inspiring vacation is in your future…