Beat the summer heat and raise money for ALS awareness and research by participating in the 10th Annual ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this August.
The family of Pat Quinn—Yonkers native and co-founder of the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS—along with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts announced that the 10th annual event will take place on Saturday, August 5th.
The fun family fundraiser will be begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Empire City Casino racetrack. The ice bucket challenge itself is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Anyone interested in participating in the ice dump portion of the event can sign up online at: www.YonkersNY.gov/IBC.
Honoring Pat Quinn’s Legacy
In 2013, when Pat Quinn was diagnosed at age 30 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), he knew right away that he wanted to make a difference. After seeing the Ice Bucket Challenge on social media, he started his own team called “Quinn for the Win” to raise money for the cause.
When Quinn joined forces with his friend Pete Frates, a former college basketball player, and his “Team Frate Train” to raise money for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) the challenge became a phenomenon on social media. To date, the event has raised $115 million for The ALS Association and over $220 million globally to further awareness, research, and funding.
While Frates died from the effects of ALS in 2019, and Quinn passed away from the neurodegenerative disease in 2020, their legacy lives on as participants worldwide continue the annual fundraiser.
Quinn Family Leads Event
In Yonkers, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is lead by Pat Quinn’s father, Patrick Quinn Sr., who continues to advocate for ALS research and honor his son’s drive and determination during his battle with the disease.
The Quinn for the Win—Find Your Smile Foundation, Quinn’s nonprofit organization, continues to impact local and national awareness and research efforts by hosting fundraisers that bring people together to fight ALS.
Quinn Sr. expressed his gratitude for Yonkers’ support of the annual event.
“I’m so grateful for the continued support of Mayor Mike Spano, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, and community members from Yonkers and far beyond who continue to fight onwards toward a cure,” said Patrick Quinn Sr. “The community that Pat has built to support this effort and his Quinn for the Win—Find Your Smile Foundation is nothing short of remarkable. Pat laid the groundwork to find a cure, and now it’s our job to finish his mission and find a cure to defeat ALS once and for all. I look forward to seeing everyone on August 5th.”
Mayor Mike Spano spoke of the city’s commitment to upholding Pat Quinn’s legacy.
“The City of Yonkers is proud to carry the legacy of Pat Quinn,” said Mayor Spano. “Every year, I witness the inspirational show of love for Pat and others who are living with ALS. Because of Pat, there is greater hope and we can’t stop now. We are in this every August until we find a cure with our partners at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS each year in the United States.
To participate in Yonkers’ ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, register online at: www.YonkersNY.gov/IBC.
