Hinsdale Cops Tap Community Organizations In ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge social media sensation caught up with the Hinsdale Police Department on Wednesday morning when officers accepted the challenge from a department staff member.

Hinsdale’s bravest dumped buckets of ice water on Hinsdale’s finest to raise awareness of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord eventually leading to death. Every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS — more than 5,600 people per year, according to the ALS Association.

The Hinsdale Fire Department did the honors of soaking Police Chief Bradley Bloom, Hinsdale Central High School Liaison Officer Mark Keller, Detective Sergeant Erik Bernholdt, Officer Grant McElroy, Deputy Chief Mark Wodka and Crime Prevention Officer Mike Coughlin.

Watch Hinsdale police officers get soaked.

The big hearted cops also laid down the gauntlet, challenging the fire deparment, the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce, the village’s Administration/Finance department, the Dean´s Office and Principal of Hinsdale Central High School, the staff at Hinsdale Community School District 181, and the Oak Brook Police Department. The newly nominated have 24 hours to take the ice bucket challenge, or make a $100 donation to ALS, preferably both.

Unprecedented financial support from the ice bucket challenge continues to pour in for the ALS Association, with everyone from Lady Gaga and Ethel Kennedy to former president George W. Bush and Justin Timberlake blasting videos of their respective soakings on Facebook. The ALS Association received $8.6 million on Tuesday, and has raised $31.5 million since July 29. That’s $8.6 million more in donations the non-profit has received than the same period last year, according to TIME.

Patch challenges the Dist. 86 and Hinsdale High School Teachers Association, in the hopes that an ice cold bucket of reality will hasten a new teacher’s contract before school starts on Friday.

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