HoCo Schools Superintendent, Police Chief Take Ice Bucket Challenge

By Kara Seymour and Elizabeth Janney

The ice bucket challenge is moving like wildfire across social media, and it’s hit Howard County.

Howard County Public School System Superintendent Renee Foose and Howard County Police Chief Gary Gardner got soaked on Thursday at Marriotts Ridge High School.

Watch the video here.

Two students asked Foose to participate in the ice bucket challenge, she explained before a crowd in Marriottsville, and she invited Gardner to participate too.

The way it works is once you’ve been nominated, you take the challenge to have a bucket of ice poured over your head within 24 hours or donate to research for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. You also nominate others to take the challenge.

The frenzy began just a few weeks back when Pete Frates, 29, a former Boston College baseball player battling ALS, posted his own ice bucket challenge video and nominated some friends to do it. Between July 29 and Aug. 12, the ALS Association reports it has received $4 million in donations versus $1.2 million during the same time period the year before.

Foose and Gardner each pledged to donate $100 to ALS research, according to a statement from the Howard County Public School System. Gardner’s was in honor of Lt. Angus Park, who died of ALS in 1991, the statement said.

The pair made sure others will be taking the ice bucket challenge as well. Foose challenged the principals and Gardner challenged his command staff to follow suit.

Photo Credit: Screen shot from Howard County Public Schools video