The head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Ray Conner, joined countless others in taking the Ice Bucket Challenge on Thursday to support the ALS Association, a nonprofit group fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The ALS Association isn’t the first to use the ice bucket challenge to raise money, but it’s campaign has gone viral on social media. Participants include former Pres. George W. Bush and Steven Spielberg, and the association has raised nearly $42 million since late July.
Here’s how it works: Someone challenges you to dump a bucketful of ice cold water on your head, you do, you make a donation to an ALS charity, you post it on social media and challenge others to do the same.
EVA Air’s chairman, Chang Kuo-Wei, challenged Conner.
In a video posted on YouTube, Cathay Pacific’s Director of Corporate Development James Barrington dumped a bucket of water on Conner at the Boeing Classic, part of the PGA’s Champions Tour.
“I will be making a donation to ALS, and because of that I will also be challenging some people as well,” he said. “First, I’d like to challenge Gary Kelly, the chairman of Southwest Airlines; Ray Stephanson, the mayor of Everett, Wash., and David Joyce, the CEO of GE Aviation.”
He also challenged Barrington.
Conner did not say how much he is donating.
Plenty of people say the challenge is great because it raises awareness and gets people involved.
But it has also been criticized for encouraging slacktiivism because people don’t have to actually have to donate time or money to feel like they did something good.
For example, Conner’s video, like many, does not include information on how to donate or get involved with the ALS Association.
Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.
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