#icebucketchallenge

[Rivertee]

I am so excited about this! I've volunteered at hospitals and centers for years and have met some pretty awesome people with ALS, so I challenge you MERNETWORK MERS to the Icebucket Challenge! If you do $5.00 donation to your local centers http://www.alsa.org/community/ will help you find them. Post videos here and we'll share them around FB, Twitter, and Instagram! Let's show the world what we mers can do!

[Kishiko]

Can we challenge other mers a after we do it?

[SirenaEma]

I did just did this with my sister today XD

[Rivertee]

Of course kishi

[Gem Stone]

what is the ice bucket challenge exactly?

[Rivertee]

Easier to just Google or YouTube it Gem

[Meilyn]

Not to ruin the fun, but I'll just leave this here. ..

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/08/15/california-fining-ice-bucket-challenge-participants-for-wasting-water/

[Merman Arion]

Some good vids :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5oYP6853o#t=43


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_iCIg2oCCs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwNpd-QLnC0

And I will just leave this here... ;) :p

The 25 Most Important Shirtless Ice Bucket Challenges :


Link ---> http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-most-important-shirtless-ice-bucket-challenges

[Rivertee]

Not to ruin the fun, but I'll just leave this here. ..

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/08/15/california-fining-ice-bucket-challenge-participants-for-wasting-water/
I can agree if people are doing it simply because they want attention and not donate at all there should be consequences for their actions. This is meant as a wake up call to raise awareness for a very serious neglectance in our communities.

So thank you for making us aware of the restrictions, I wouldn't want any of our CA mers to get into trouble.

[AniaR]

Ugh you know they've raised like 15 times more money then what they did this week last year??? I wouldn't worry. The Als foundation is over the moon and it all brings awareness.

[Rivertee]

So I'm going to guess you're not a fan of this Raina?

[Meilyn]

Personally, since we own our house, water bills suck :/ and instead of doing stuff like this, why not just spread the word by doing other things that don't waste resources?

Instead of doing this ice bucket challenge, I challenge ALL of you to donate 5$ to their foundation instead of wasting like, 4$ on ice and another 5$ on water. It all adds up quickly. And the fishes on our pond out back would appreciate it too ♡

Internationally, there's a drought all around the world. I'm all for not wasting whatever we have on the planet.

[Winged Mermaid]

I agree Meilyn.

23468

[Rivertee]

Since I'm not sure how to can a mod delete this or someone explain how to delete a thread? I can see there's a lot of disagreement about this so I'd rather just take it down and continue on my way thanks :)

[Merman Arion]

Not to ruin the fun, but I'll just leave this here. ..

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/08/15/california-fining-ice-bucket-challenge-participants-for-wasting-water/

Don't worry, someone ruined it in a worse way than you ;)

http://uproxx.com/webculture/2014/08/charlie-sheen-just-ruined-the-ice-bucket-challenge-for-everyone/

[AniaR]

Im not a fan of people getting annoyed about it. i think it's amazing this raised so much more than before. creating awareness costs money. it burns fossil fuels. it leaves a carbon footprint. using your computer to raise awareness leaves a carbon footprint.

I dont think in my personal opinion a bucket of water/ice is going to break the world anymore than other things used to create awareness (paper flyers for instance). This boost had made a huge fucking difference for ALS funding. like monumental. I think it's awesome celebs are getting into it because that only ups it and helps more.

yeah it be great if people would just donate money. The thing is loads of people dont know ALS is a thing, or that the foundation exists. Videos like this go viral and people make a personal connection and learn. People with a personal connection are going to be liklier to donate more long term and spread more awareness. There;s loads of studies that back up this mentality.

ALS are very thankful and could give two shits if some people only do it for attention because even those people are spreading awareness. not everyone can afford to donate either.

In my personal opinion Im more annoyed that people are picking apart something that was organized spontaniously. Sure it could be better, but the people who started it off had no clue it would get so big. now they no for next time. How about we celebrate that ALS is in the news since it's hard to get anyone to care unless some mega celeb has it. And lets celebrate their breaking their own funding records because of it. And maybe next year someone can come up with something that doesnt leave a mark on the planet.

[AniaR]

I kinda feel like tagging #firstworldproblems honestly. :p

[AniaR]

Sorry but to me, this is worth a bucket of water. We are talking huge difference here. HUGE. Imagine if you could make a huge difference in cancer with a single bucket of water???

The extremely viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has led to record donations to the ALS Association, whose national office reports nearly $12 million in collected donations since July 29–$15.6 million if you include money raised by ALS affiliates across the country–compared with less than $50,000 in the same period last year.
“It’s huge. It’s a game changer for the ALS Association,” said ALS Association President Barbara Newhouse.
The $12 million figure represents more than half of the funds raised in all of 2012, when the national organization brought in $19 million in contributions.
A flood of celebrities participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge, in increasingly creative ways, has also bolstered the Ice Bucket Challenge’s success. Project ALS, another charity dedicated to combatting Lou Gehrig’s disease, said it experienced a surge in fundraising after Ben Stiller and Ricky Gervais took the Challenge and asked people to contribute to that organization specifically. The charity raised $96,000 over a single weekend, compared to the first weeks of August last year when it only raised a few thousand dollars.
But how will the organizations spend this influx in cash? The ALS Association’s president said the money will allow the group to “think outside the box.”
“We need to take some time to make some very clear decisions about how best to spend this money,” said Newhouse, who said she will consult a number of people including the families that started and popularized the ALS challenge.
One clear priority will be research, on which the organization currently spends more than $6 million a year. In the past, the organization has utilized a multi-pronged approach to its advocacy, which has include research funding, support services for people with the disease and lobbying legislators.
Project ALS says all the money the organization receives will go toward innovative research and “staffing up.”
Representatives of both organizations said that regardless of where they end up spending the contributions, the awareness the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has created will be key to addressing ALS going forward.

[Rivertee]

So mers do we want to put something together ourselves for other research facilities? Cancer, OI, and other disabilities that our communities struggle with? Maybe not an ice bucket but something else?

[MerEmma]

Put very well, Raina. I feel the same way about it and I wasn't sure how to put it. :)

[AniaR]

I kinda wanna do the challenge! Unfortunate for me though that kind of thing really sparks my chronic pain and Id pay for it for a few days.

Dont feel bad about starting the post and please dont take it down. A little contro-mer-sy happens time from time, but it doesnt mean it's not valid. :)

[Rivertee]

Well I was thinking as I read through all the post maybe a swim for charity? Sponsor a mermaid and race down a spring or do a swim with kids with $1.00 admission all proceeds go to a foundation

[Merman Arion]

I'm gonna sound shallow but whoever thought of the icebucketchallenge has my thanks for giving me a nice parade of shirtless handsome boys doing the challenge. I enjoyed watching them :p

As for your opinions, Raina, I agree with you :thumbs-up:

[Starfrit]

Not to ruin the fun, but I'll just leave this here. ..

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/08/15/california-fining-ice-bucket-challenge-participants-for-wasting-water/

... You do realize that The Daily Currant is a satire site and none of the articles they post are true, right...?? That said, I do see your point!

When it comes to the "Wasting Water" argument, I can definitely see both sides here and I'm not really on one side or the other about it. For health/mental health reasons I won't be doing the Ice Bucket Challenge myself, but I'll definitely be donating to the cause anyway. :D

[Raayvhen]

I'm gonna sound shallow but whoever thought of the icebucketchallenge has my thanks for giving me a nice parade of shirtless handsome boys doing the challenge. I enjoyed watching them :p

Me too.

Its times like this I wish mernetwork had a like button.

[AniaR]

Skip a bath or the dishwasher for your bucket o ice ;)

[Meilyn]

... You do realize that The Daily Currant is a satire site and none of the articles they post are true, right...?? That said, I do see your point!

When it comes to the "Wasting Water" argument, I can definitely see both sides here and I'm not really on one side or the other about it. For health/mental health reasons I won't be doing the Ice Bucket Challenge myself, but I'll definitely be donating to the cause anyway. :D

NOPE! Did not know that. :|
I have temperature issues (hard to create my own body heat sometimes) so I understand the health aspects to it as well. But water bill sucks even more when you have a giant pond out back that needs to stay at a constant level.

[Rivertee]

Ok had to share this. This is a dear friend of mine from the 501st Legion Costume group These guys do a lot of charity work around the world and Mike (guy in the video) has often trooped events at my job. So enjoy the hilarity and mers be looking for my vid within 24hrs.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202548855550572&set=vb.1471516452&type=2&theater

[MerEmma]

LOVE the 501st! They visit MegaCon every year, they do great work in costuming and charities!!

[Fun123joker]

no no but what gets me mad is that suddenly everyone is calling everyone on wasting water with this challenge BUT NOT WITH WET T-SHIRT CONTEST

HOW TO DO THE ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE WITHOUT WASTING CLEAN WATER:

collect rain water! next time it rains put your bucket outside. rain water isnt dirty at all and trust be it'll be cold

[Keiris]

Uuuuhh...I think you're going to miss the 24 hr window to complete the challenge if you're standing around waiting for it to rain. Especially if you live in the arid west. That could be a VERY long wait!

[SeaGlass Siren]

Or reuse your shower water. :cue "ewww" and "nastyyy":

[Theta]

God bless whoever posted Stephen Amell, he's my favorite.

[Theta]

Maybe start tagging mers on facebook. That might get it started quicker, if you want to do it. Maybe mers can donate part of their $ to ALS and part to a clean water charity, as a matter of principle.

[Fifi Tigg]

Mermaid Emily Drew and her friends decided that after watching a young man on Youtube talk about his family curse of ALS and himself being diagnosed in his twenty's that they would try to raise some money for the cause. It was a last minute decision but they raised a small amount of nearly $50 at the local park! Bless them :)

http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=o_gW8A1_xK8&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dxln8cIoWzC8%26feature%3Dshare

[Winged Mermaid]

In the past week I've seen the stats for the funds raised and I have to say I've changed my mind! I generally get annoyed with viral stuff, and this is no exception, but people are raising a lot of money for a horrid disease. It's good to see that people are actually donating instead of just doing the challenge to be "cool" or whatever. Before I saw the numbers it just seemed like people were doing it for attention, so that's what made me so mad. My father in law passed away from ALS. I didn't get to see him in that time, but from what I heard from my mother in law it was heart breaking and so horrible :( I hope that all the funds raised really make a difference in moving forward in treatments!

That being said, kind of sad that I can't do the challenge it myself. I get massive nerve pain from the cold (an issue that I fight all winter long, so frustrating) and especially cold water. I can't ice injuries anymore, and have to ask someone to help me if I need a drink out of an ice cooler at a BBQ or whatever. It suuuucks! Mermaid Lindsey nominated me and sadly I had to turn her down. I'd donated before but I was glad to donate again :)

Just keep in mind that the challenge isn't fibro friendly, or usually for anyone who has chronic pain issues like that. I've seen a few people put others down for being a "wuss"/"chicken"/ect about not taking the challenge, but you never know what's going on with a person's health, so don't be that guy ;)

[Rivertee]

For those who have issues with cold we actually used warm water for my brother in law and just said it was cold :)

[Merman Dan]

Merman Christian challenged me and a few other merfolk. I accepted the challenge and passed it on to a few other mermen. C'mon, folks. It's for a good cause. Let's not dissect, overanalyze, or destroy it.

[Lostariel Telrunya]

Rebelling against the wise words of Merman Dan, I actually enjoy dissecting and over analyzing things....

I love the ice bucket challenge, I really do. I've already been nominated three times (which, according to 'official rules', you donate the first time, and then the rest of the times you do it, you simply do it to raise awareness and to nominate others, who, in turn, donate), but the one thing that I absolutely hate is when people do it because they think it will be cool, and then don't donate at all. I am in high school, so I know that there are people out there who just don't donate because they can't/won't/forgot, but I have literally seen videos of people from my school who made the video, and said to the camera that they really didn't want to do it and they were just doing the challenge to make their nominators happy, and that they weren't donating. That is a waste of water. The whole idea of the ice bucket challenge was made to be a small boost in donations, but instead it has become a thing that everyone just does (I like to think of it as a small sci-fi fandom that kind of exploded into something huge, like Doctor Who).

The problem with the ice bucket challenge, is that people will get tired of it. It has turned into a fad, and, like most fads, it will fade away and be forgotten. That is what is already happening. People are realizing that the only thing they get out of it is the video of them getting a bucket of water dumped over their head, and not the fact that they donated. It is a temporary solution to their problem. They have raised millions of dollars from this, but the research they want to conduct will cost so much more than even what they have raised. And, like a movie saga, the second attempt will never be as good or effective as the first go. I do understand that it has raised a lot of money, but I do hope that the ALSA doesn't think this is going to fix all of their problems.

I don't mean to sound negative or pessimistic, all I am saying is that while this challenge is going, we need to give them as much as we say we'll give, and not take the challenge without recognizing and doing something for the thing the challenge is supposed to support.

[Rivertee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSNK_FiWes0&feature=youtu.be

[SeaGlass Siren]

I wussed out and took a cold shower instead. though i dont think you guys want to see that.....

[Ondine]

Although I totally understand that it could be controversial in a drought-hit area, (in which case perhaps the Sand Bucket Challenge...? ;) I really do think that the Ice Bucket Challenge is a great way of raising both money and awareness for ALS (in the UK we call it MND, Motor Neurone Disease, but it's the same thing). I've learned more than I ever knew about MND as a result of the challenge, and I've seen so many people getting involved and talking about it that I think it's really positive. Yes, it's a fad that will fade away, but a fad which generated millions of dollars to go towards helping people with an awful, awful disease, and to funding important research towards treatment options. That's enough to get me to join in :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn-rHsLLfT4

And I totally want to see more mermaid challenge videos, so I think people should post them here!

[Merman Arion]

I got nominated twice by two mer friends but I failed to do it in the next 24h so I donated 60$ for the ASL Association :)

[Rivertee]

I'm glad to see mers in the spirit of charity! So how about this, we all nominate charities from our local areas and for one month we try our own challenge!

[Aziara]

ALS awareness is a topic very close to me-it runs in my dad's family. We've lost 5 people in his family already, and his sister is currently in the last stages (lost his brother about 10 years ago). As of right now, there really is no treatment other than trying to make the person comfortable. So far, at least in his family, it has always skipped a generation. Meaning I'm probably safe, but I really hope a cure is found before my kids get old enough to get it.

[Merlia]

I am sorry but I don't like the ice bucket challenge at all...
Most of the people (Teenagers...) take it because they want to get attention. They don't even say something about the donate what the challenge was about!

Also, most of the donation money doesn't go to the people, it goes to the scientists and the entity.

[AniaR]

Necro poooooosssst