Ice Bucket Challenge Winter Swim Raises Funds For ALS Research

The ice bucket challenge winter swim event was held this year to raise funds for ALS research. It’s no secret that the ice bucket challenge is one of the greatest viral sensations of 2014. While it has died down a bit, a mega IBC challenge was held on Dec. 27 at Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach in Massachusetts. Instead of just dumping a bucket of icy water over their heads, though, the 500 challengers upped the ante by stripping to their trunks and taking a plunge in the beach’s frigid waters.

In attendance was Pete Frates, a 29-year-old Lou Gehrig’s disease patient and also the mastermind behind the IBC. The event was called Plunge4Pete and was held in his honor and also to raise further awareness for neurodegenerative disorder research.

#Plunge4Pete2014 http://pic.twitter.com/c0MyaH49tS

— Pete Frates (@PeteFrates3) December 27, 2014

The ice bucket challenge winter swim is certainly a terrific way to end 2014. The fad began in the summer. What began as a simple act of raising awareness for a good cause soon became a global phenomenon with people all over the world dumping water over their heads and uploading the act on YouTube. Of course, celebrities also partook on the action. In fact, if you type in a celebrity followed by the words “ice bucket challenge,” you will more than likely find the video of that person participating in the challenge.

Before the challenge begins, the challenger must nominate three other people, who then must accept the challenge within 24 hours. The whole IBC, though, wasn’t without criticism. Some pointed out that such a challenge constituted to a waste in clean water, which was very irresponsible considering that California is currently undergoing a drought. In response, several people would do the challenge in a swimming pool or body of water to prevent water from going to waste.

Several others also criticized the challenge, citing that more people began doing the challenge simply for the trend itself rather than promoting the cause behind it. Some participants would get really creative and go a step beyond the basic challenge.

Here are some of the more creative IBC acts from celebrities:

The mainstream sensation has raised over $100 million for ALS research. With the ice bucket challenge winter swim, the bar was raised to a whole new level and just may become a winter trend for adrenaline junkies who also want to raise awareness for a noble cause.

photo credit: Mayo Clinic]

Ice Bucket Challenge Winter Swim Raises Funds For ALS Research