Story and photos by Georgia Sparling | sippicanvillagesoup.com | Aug 28, 2015
MARION — June Costa dubbed herself “the crazy resident” as she prepared to get doused with a bucket of ice cold water.
Costa was the only resident of Sippican Healthcare Center to take the plunge for the ALS bucket challenge this year. Along with a group of employees and a few family members, the center celebrated its second year of participating in the challenge to raise money and awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gherig’s Disease.
While the number of people on your Facebook feed doing the challenge has probably slowed to a trickle, Anne O’Connell-Bishop said it will become a tradition at Sippican Healthcare “until they find a cure.”
O’Connell-Bishop, the activities director, said the staff and residents were inspired by the Red Sox, who are continuing to support ALS research with an ice bucket challenge and auction.
“We work in the healthcare field. We know the importance of medical research,” she said.
O’Connell-Bishop added that the residents keep up with current events and wanted to give back.
On Thursday afternoon, buckets of ice water were lined up on the back lawn of the center as residents came out to watch.
Costa initiated the event by pouring water on one of the employees and was then the last to get doused. She said she didn’t mind the shock of cold.
“I love the water. I used to go swimming, and the water wasn’t always warm,” she said. “I think this is a good idea.”
While Costa didn’t flinch, a few others who volunteered for the challenge did. Erica Delorie, a secretary at the center, brought her two kids, Andrew and Grace.
“He didn’t love it so much,” Erica said of her young son.
Grace, on the other hand, still wore a smile even as the water dripped off her head.
O’Connell-Bishop will continue to collect donations until the end of the summer and will then send them to the ALS Foundation. Sippican Healthcare has also issued the challenge again this year to Nemasket Healthcare Center in Middleboro.
Photo: June Costa, a resident at Sippican Healthcare Center, gets doused for the ice bucket challenge.
