No White Flags

I chose to forgo the Ice Bucket Challenge over the past few months for a few reasons. One being that the drought in California is so bad that we can't afford to waste any water, like at all. Another is I felt a lot of people participating were only doing it because it was the cool thing to do and celebrities were in on it. Having worked to produce non-profit charitable events for five years I appreciate the campaign so much! It was genius and spread a lot of awareness which is a really wonderful thing. But while I applaud what the Challenge accomplished, it was also frustrating that a lot of people were all about the popularity and didn't donate.

Before I get attacked - because I know a lot of bloggers participated - I want to iterate that I am not putting anyone down who accepted the Challenge. I am only expressing my disappointment that some didn't take the time to think about ALS and what the buzz was actually about. I am pro anything for a good cause!

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Although I didn't participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge, I did support through a cause that's important to me - Team Gleason. It's a campaign that I've been following for years. A former New Orleans Saints player, Steve Gleason is a symbol of the city's rebirth after Hurricane Katrina. The first game back in the Superdome, Gleason blocked a kick proving New Orleans could bounce back. In 2011, a few years after that monumental play, he was diagnosed with ALS. Since then, Gleason and has been an inspiration to many. You don't have to be a Saints fan, or even into football, to necessarily know about him. Gleason has been featured on A Football Life (a very good look into his life with ALS), and was in a Microsoft commercial (also cool if you can spare a minute to watch) played during last year's Super Bowl, showing how those living with this terrible disease can do so much thanks to technology.

Team Gleason's motto of never giving up can be applied to anything in life - no white flags!

Thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge, the light shed on this terrible disease has been amazing! But don't forget it's more than a fad, you should support causes YOU are passionate about. Donate where you feel is best. There are so many worthy causes.

If you do want to support this specific cause, consider ordering some Team Gleason merch. Proceeds go toward helping those with ALS and spreading awareness. I have the tank pictured above, displaying Gleason's famous punt block. Be aware that sizes run small.

To learn more about Steve Gleason, Team Gleason, and ALS, visit www.teamgleason.org.