GCC Faculty and Staff Take Ice Bucket Challenge

BATAVIA, NY (08/26/2014)(readMedia)-- What: GCC Faculty and Staff Take Ice Bucket Challenge

When: TODAY August 26, 2014, 4:45 pm

Where: GCC's Turf Athletic Field ~ Genesee Community College ~ One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020

Background: Faculty and staff at Genesee Community College are set to become the first community college in the area to take the Ice Bucket Challenge to benefit The ALS Association. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The Ice Bucket Challenge, initiated in late July, has generated widespread support across social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. GCC faculty and staff have gathered up their pails and will dump ice water over their heads at 4:45 this afternoon on the Athletic (Turf) Field on the GCC Batavia Campus.

Anyone who uses social media has seen countless friends and others take the challenge since late July. It involves pouring a bucket of ice water over your head and challenging others to do the same or make a donation to fight ALS within 24 hours. "We want to be the first community college in our area to take the challenge," said Cathy Costello, executive assistant to GCC President Dr. James Sunser. "We want to challenge our colleagues at Monroe, Erie and Finger Lakes Community Colleges to meet the challenge." Faculty and staff will have a donation bucket on hand at the event and then throughout the college through Friday, September 5, 2014. They also encourage online donations at: https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2;jsessionid=B7BE0B8127329B092EB838CCD87063FB.app294b?df_id=27420&27420.donation=form1.

GCC's Campus Centers have also joined in the fun with the Medina Campus Center being the first to take the challenge and nominating the Albion Campus Center to do the same. Check out the video here: GCC Medina Campus Center #ALSIceBucketChallenge.

This is faculty/staff initiative and not a College-sponsored event.

The ALS Association has been astounded by the overwhelming response to the challenge. "We have never seen anything like this in the history of the disease," said Barbara Newhouse, president and CEO of The ALS Association. "We couldn't be more thrilled with the level of compassion, generosity and sense of humor that people are exhibiting as they take part in this impactful viral initiative."

For further information, contact Donna Rae Sutherland, associate director of Marketing Communications at (585) 343-0055 x 6616 or dsutherland@genesee.edu.

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