For Northborough, Westborough PDs, the 'Ice Bucket Challenge' is Personal

Cynics are clobbering the continuing success of the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS, dismissing it as an annoying trend and questioning the validity of the method of fundraising. For those with ALS and families affected by it, they are cheering.

And so did the police and fire departments of Westborough and Northborough recently, when they took the challenge to extremes and posted the results on their Facebook pages.

The challenge is rooted in family connections and a bond between the two departments. Natalie Bruce is an assistant to Westborough’s Police Chief Alan Gordon, and Sgt. Jim Bruce has long been with the Northborough Police Department. Natalie and Bruce lost their son, Matt, this year to ALS.

“It’s something that’s been very personal here,” said Northborough Police Chief Mark Leahy, after accepting the challenge, and urging supporters to donate to Team Matt.

The Northborough Department posted its challenge, which involved a bulldozer dumping gallons of icy water on the entire department, on Aug. 14, challenging next the Westborough Police Department, the Northborough Fire Department and the Northborough DPW.

Watch the Westborough Police Department’s bucket challenge response, which was posted on Wednesday, here.

The Northborough PD’s challenge is embedded below.