#ALSIceBucketChallenge Hits Home in MoCo

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has swept across the nation and social media this summer, and on Saturday it will hit home at the Noyes Library.

The Noyes Children’s Library Foundation is holding an Ice Bucket Challenge at the library, 10237 Carroll Place, Kensington, at 2 p.m.

The challenge, created to raise awareness and funds for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) AKA “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” raised over $41 million between July 29 and Aug. 21 for the organization, according to a news release.

People who decide to take the challenge film themselves getting ice cold water dumped over their heads. They then challenge their friends to do the same in the video posted on social media.

Recently, Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr completed the ice bucket challenge. He challenged Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and County Executive Ike Leggett to take on the challenge next.

Members of the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation board, library patrons and other locals are invited to take the challenge on Saturday.

The Noyes Children’s Library Foundation also launched the Make MORE Noyes Campaign recently, to design and fund a major renovation of the library to make it accessible to those with physical disabilities. The 121-year old library located in Old Town Kensington is a building required to comply with ADA standards, but the county has not yet given funds to make these renovations.

“This Ice Bucket Challenge is a perfect chance to highlight the need for support in the fight against ALS, while also pointing out just how many places are not accessible to people with physical challenges,” Sheila Dinn, co-president of the foundation, said in a news release.

Anyone is welcome to bring a bucket and ice. Water will be provided.

>>Noyes Library for Young Children. Credit: Montgomery County Public Libraries website, Carol M. HIghsmith, America Collection at the Library of Congress