Fairfax City Mayor Scott Silverthorne gets drenched. (From left) are Jo Ormesher, Sharon Bulova, Scott Silverthorne, Chap Petersen and Beverly Myers. Petersen’s daughter, Eva, a Fairfax High sophomore, had the honor of dousing her dad with ice water. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
The Ice Bucket Challenge has a simple premise, but it’s doing a great deal of good. To raise money to fight ALS, people all over the country have been making videos of themselves getting buckets of ice water dumped on their heads.
They post them on social media and challenge others to do likewise within 24 hours or donate $100 to the ALS Assn., and many have done both things. It’s taken off since July 29 and, between then and Sunday, Aug. 17, the organization has received $13.3 million because of this challenge.
Locally, five prominent leaders took the challenge, Sunday evening, outside Coyote Grille in Fairfax. From left are Jo Ormesher, City of Fairfax Cultural Tourism and Marketing Manager; Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova; City of Fairfax Mayor Scott Silverthorne; Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th) and Beverly Myers, City of Fairfax Fourth of July and Chocolate Festival chairman.
Before they were drenched, they held hands in solidarity – to buck up their courage – and called out other people to take the challenge, too. Ormesher challenged City of Fairfax Police Chief Carl Pardiny and Fire Chief Dave Rohr and D.J. Makovich of the World Police and Fire Games.
Bulova challenged her son, Del. David Bulova (D-37th); U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11th); and Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid. And Silverthorne called out Benjamin Tribbett, Billy Reilly and the female members of the Fairfax City Council – Janice Miller, Ellie Schmidt and Nancy Loftus.
Petersen challenged his law partner, Scott Surovell, Town of Vienna Mayor Laurie DiRocco and county School Board member Ilryong Moon. And Myers singled out Fairfax City Manager Bob Sisson, John Horn, David Rodenberger and Victoria Montagano.
To donate, go to www.alsa.org.