ALS Ice Bucket Challenge storms Southeast

acebook newsfeeds and Instagram timelines have recently been bombarded with videos of challengees and challengers participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Besides providing the nation with good, clean entertainment, the challenge has helped raised more than $62.5 million so far and has spread more awareness of the disease than ever before. People who have been challenged have the choice to complete the Ice Bucket Challenge and challenge their friends within 24 hours or donate $100 to the ALS Association.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year.

Southeast baseball coach Steve Bieser knows several people that have been affected by the disease, and he gladly accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge from a former Southeast football coach.

"The challenge is kind of near and dear to my heart, so I was happy to do the challenge and give back," Bieser said. "I'm just hoping we find a cure for this devastating disease."

Bieser, along with his two assistant coaches completed the Ice Bucket Challenge, but also decided to donate to the cause.

"I don't think the Ice Bucket Challenge felt too terrible at all," Bieser said. "When you think about the people who have been affected by the disease, that's what's terrible."

Southeast director of athletics Mark Alnutt, volleyball coach Julie Yankus, assistant volleyball coach Kayani Turner and soccer coach Paul Nelson have also all accepted the challenge.

Not only have the sports teams at Southeast been challenged, but also several Greek organizations. Matt Tochtrop, student as Southeast and member of Phi Delta Theta, called out his entire fraternity to do the Ice Bucket Challenge for several reasons.

Phi Delta Theta's national philanthropy is the ALS Association, and as one of the founding fathers of the newly installed fraternity at Southeast, Tochtrop knew his brothers would step up to the challenge.

"The decision to nominate them was easy," Tochtrop said. "I personally could not be more proud of what the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has accomplished."

As a chapter, the fraternity has taken on a completely new role with the ALS Association, not only raising money for their cause, but becoming one of the first chapters nationwide to go to the homes of those affected by ALS and work hand in hand with families. Their goal is to directly impact those in the community they live in.

"My nomination of my chapter is my minuscule contribution in the global effort to help spread this awareness and support for something that is commonly overlooked, and I made it with hopes it would spread to all the Greek chapters at Southeast," Tochtrop said.

In fact, the Ice Bucket Challenge has reached several of the Greek chapters at Southeast. In their video, Phi Delta Theta called out the Southeast chapter of Alpha Delta Pi, who accepted the challenge.

"It was awesome having my chapter nominated by another Greek chapter on campus because that's what Greek life is all about," Alpha Delta Pi president Cassidee Bowen said. "It's about supporting other chapters and donating to different philanthropies."

Alpha Delta Pi then challenged several other Greek chapters at Southeast.

Many of the organizations at Southeast along with hundreds of Southeast faculty, staff and students have stepped up to take the challenge for a great cause.

"We all have the capability to make a difference in the lives of others. It is up to us if we choose to or not," Tochtrop said.