President responds to challenge

  Tuesday, August 19, 2014 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

With the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge spreading like wildfire across the nation, it was just a matter of time until a member of Gorilla Nation tagged Pittsburg State University President Steve Scott in this Internet fundraising sensation.

That happened this week when alumnus and current development officer Kendall Gammon completed his challenge and called on President Scott to do the same.

Scott, always a good sport, answered Gammon’s challenge Tuesday afternoon by making his donation to the ALS Association and waiting to be doused on the patio of the Crossland Family University House.

“I think it’s about 98 degrees out here, so this is a pretty good day to do this,” Scott joked as he prepared for the icy deluge.

Scott marveled at the success of the campaign.

“This is a reminder of the power of social media to do good,” Scott said.

According to the ALS, Ice Bucket Challenge donations had reached nearly $23 million on Monday. That compared to less than $2 million raised during the same period last year.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord. As many as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS and the average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years from time of diagnosis.

For more information about ALS and the ALS Association, visit www.alsa.org.