On Thursday, Springfield's Fort Street from Main Street to East Columbus Avenue, will be closed as the Student Prince restaurant brings back its popular street-long ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
This is the second year that local organizers and ALS activists will come together to create the event in downtown Springfield to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The challenge will raise money for the Massachusetts ALS Foundation and specifically to honor local friends who have been stricken with the disease. Registration opens at 4 p.m. and participants can also register online.The ice buckets deluge at 5:45 p.m.
"So many of us involved in this effort personally know a victim of ALS. When Governor Baker filed legislation last year making the Ice Bucket Challenge Week an annual event, we took it as a special challenge to us here in Springfield, now, to raise money for our friends with ALS. With just a few weeks of planning last year, we were able to fill Fort Street with people. We raised over $25,000", said event organizer, Bill Sampson.
ALS has many costs and challenges that patients and their families endure beyond what is covered by insurance. These problems were what spurred a conversation at The Student Prince that got the ball rolling for the event, which came together quickly.
"This started when a group of us were gathered at The Student Prince, wondering what we could do to help some very dear friends who have ALS. These friends are vibrant members of the Greater Springfield community who are used to giving help, not receiving it. We are keeping their names private at this time. We know that with ALS Massachusetts help, we will be able to assisit them in ways that we and their families are not equipeed or trained to. All the money we raise will stay here to help them and as a legacy to them, others," Sampson continued.
For additional information, reach Sampson via phone at (413) 896-3742.