<p>In your view, there is not. In other people’s view, it is. Simple as that. At least understand that people view it differently. </p>
<p>Yep, so feel free to reject any drugs or treatments that have been tested on animals. In the meantime, accept that few people really care as passionately as you do about the issue, the same way that if there were a fire and there were 100 lab rats in Room A and 1 person in Room B, we’d save the person in Room B.</p>
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<p>Perhaps your concern on how you are perceived on FB is the real problem? :)</p>
<p>Sort of a tangent but I am really upset by something related to the topic of this thread. Our local news is reporting a double homicide this weekend. The shooter is a man recently diagnosed with ALS. He is just 39 and a former sheriff’s deputy. He killed his wife and her sister, both beautiful young mothers who had been actively supporting his struggle with various fundraisers even before the ice bucket challenge. The whole thing is heartbreaking, and perhaps a good reminder to observe closely signs of mental health problems in people going through this. Oh, and make sure they don’t have access to guns (which seems sensible anyway given the lack of muscle control people with ALS have).</p>
<p>I like @saintfan’s comment. I think the vast majority of this money going to ALS ()70 million, so far) is new money, not money diverted from other charities.</p>
<p>I might like saintfan’s comment, but I’m no Saint’s fan. 
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<p>Nor am I, @dadinator. I thought my Seahawks jersey would make that clear, but I guess the thumbnail is a bit small. :P</p>
<p>The link with Lyme disease is certainly interesting. <a href=“Living with Lyme disease | Fox News Video”>Living with Lyme disease | Fox News Video;
<p>Haven’t read the whole thread but I think that anything that raises awareness and $$ to help fight this horrible disease is great. There are many other awful neuromuscular diseases and certainly many other worthy causes, and it would be great if they were to get the same attention and funding that this and events like the Jerry Lewis telethon, run for the cure, etc have raised.</p>
<p>Just as I finish reading this thread, this appears on my feed. It’s not directed to me, but it seems to be a definite call out in public. “When are you going to do the ice bucket challenge? I’m still waiting” This is one of the aspects some people are uncomfortable with. </p>
<p>I am very much enjoying watching all of the videos. The videos have helped raise awareness and much needed money for ALS. Do I want to take the ice bucket challenge, no? If someone nominated me, I probably would not do it. I am way past middle school, so I would not have a problem with worrying if someone cares that I did not participate. </p>
<p>Still . . . you have the freedom to just ignore it as I ignore all the quizes asking me to find out which animal or Disney Princess I am deep down inside. </p>
<p>My money was “new money”. ALS is not one of my usual charities, though I will keep donating now. It’s a horrible disease. </p>
<p>I also understand that all of these diseases are thought to be inter related and advances in one will most likely create advances in others. </p>
<p>To all those on this thread whose family has first hand struggles with this disease, big hugs. </p>
<p>I just don’t see dumping a bucket of ice/ice water on my head, so would politely decline to do that, but would contribute to worthy causes, as we already do.</p>
<p>So Paul Bissonnette gets my vote for best ice bucket challenge. Everything was donated so total cost was $350 for fuel. Everyone who participated in the video donated $1000 to ALS. Leave it to the hockey players!</p>
<p><a href=“Paul Bissonnette ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - YouTube”>Paul Bissonnette ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - YouTube;
<p>^^^ Great video. </p>
<p>I can’t say I’m a big fan of the bucket challenge but I certainly think it has been very-very effective.</p>
<p>There a couple things I really like about the challenge. It is raising awareness for a great cause and many of the donations are “new” donations. Many awareness events, like walks, share these positives.</p>
<p>A few times on CC I’ve mentioned I been involved in some fundraising that was very successful and we followed pretty well know strategies … a couple which, in my eyes, are pretty cynical. First, while awareness does raise some “new” money it also diverts money from other charities … in essence, as a fund raiser you’re trying to have your cause win over other worthy causes … to me it felt the opposite the goal of my charitable donation of time. Second, while I believe true charity is done anonymously the fact is fundraising is done very publicly for a couple reasons … posting lists of donors gives public props to those who donated and hopefully influences other to give also… To me selling someone into giving certainly helps the cause but feels opposite of the true meaning of charity to me. </p>
<p>I know I can me pretty anal about what I view as fairness issues but the charity one bugs me quite a bit. Our paper had a series of articles a few years ago and showed inefficient and ineffective our system of charitable giving is for a few reasons. First, as a donor we often do not know the % of donations that actually go to deliver the charity provides … and often high publicity campaigns like walks and galas have very high expenses and deliver a lower % of donations to the actual charity than many lower key approaches. Second, the charities, especially smaller ones, see high fluctuations in the level of donations year-to-year and if their budget is heavily dependent on donations this can make managing the enterprise very difficult … and high priority events like the bucket challenge exasperate this problem for smaller less visible charities. Finally, the ultimate allocation of money is much more a function of fundraising savvy than relative need … for example, the allocation of medical research does not correlate well at all with the % of the population affected or the level of impact of the issue … if there was one medical research donation superfund the money would not be allocated anything like it is now.</p>
<p>So Mom3ToGo and I have an annual charitable giving plan which we revisit each year … and we turn down most one off requests for additional donations. </p>
<p>PS - I have heard that back in the old country (Greece) there was role at a wedding of “Gift Announcer”. At the gathering after the wedding the family who visit each of the guests who would present their gift to the newlyweds … and the “gift announcer” would tell everyone what the gift was. So the cynical me believes part of this tradition was trying to use public pressure to increase the size of the gifts. Seriously, if I was at such a wedding I’d bride someone so I could give my present first and give one goat … whoever the poor soul was at the end probably was feeling some pressure to give their whole herd.</p>
<p>We could go back to the system of scientists writing grants for federal research funding if people prefer . . . :-" </p>
<p>Scientists are STILL writing grants for research funding and that is still how much of it is doled out. These private donations have fewer restrictions (if any) and can be seen as the nonprofit sees fit, including more fundraising. </p>
<p>I like to donate locally to nonprofits I feel are making a difference and using their funds prudently. </p>
<p>Most of it, actually. Whoever said this was a drop in the bucket is right, sadly. It’s alot of noise but not much more.</p>
<p>I am all for raising awareness for worthy causes…personally involved in a few myself, but I don’t think people should feel pressured or shamed into dumping ice on their heads or donating money when they might not have cash to spare. I made such a comment on a social media’s network news affiliate and got called all kinds of nasty names for it…I didn’t say anything more than that there are plenty of diseases and ailments that need funding for research and many ways to get involved…straight up venom spewed at me for voicing my views</p>