St. Mary’s employees dump ice for research

The challenge is on.

After dumping buckets full of ice water on their heads Friday to raise money for ALS, students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niles have challenged staff members at the Buchanan, Niles and Brandywine school districts to do the same.

“It’s a great cause, so we hope more people can join in,” said Leslie Johnson, a St. Mary’s teacher.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a recent phenomenon that is aimed at raising funds and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The viral sensation has become popular all around the world with celebrities, professional athletes and politicians joining in the craze in recent months.

Participants must dump a bucket of ice water on their heads or make a donation to fight ALS, although many, like those at St. Mary’s, do both. Those that do it can then challenge others.

All the participants at St. Mary’s had the same reaction: It’s really cold.

“Much colder than I expected,” said teacher Rhonda Szymanski.

“It was freezing,” said third-grader Aarika Morse.

St. Mary’s got involved when a technology teacher at the school challenged Johnson, who in turn challenged the entire St. Mary’s staff.

“I thought it would be a good idea to help raise even more money,” she said.

The challenge hits close to home for two St. Mary’s teachers: Johnson and Aanika Otto.

While teaching in Buchanan, Johnson said she got to know Buchanan teacher Dianne Ross, whose husband, Donald, was diagnosed with ALS. Donald passed away in January at age 58.

“It is difficult to see people affected by this disease and know that there is no cure,” she said. “That’s why every little bit we can do to help with research is phenomenal.”

Otto said her best friend’s father has been battling ALS for around 10 years.

She, like many people, did not know much about the disease until her friend’s father was diagnosed.

“The challenge is such a cool thing because not only are we raising money for research, we are also making more and more people aware of what it is too,” she said.

In an attempt to raise as much money as possible, St. Mary’s is allowing students and staff to pay a $1 to wear jeans to school on Sept. 20. The money raised will go toward ALS.