The ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge” has taken the United States by storm, filling up everyone’s social media feeds with videos and photos.

Friday afternoon, the challenge reached Demopolis City Hall and Mayor Mike Grayson. Grayson was challenged by Demopolis Police Department Chief Tommie Reese, and in turn, he challenged Andy Renner, Dr. Al Griffin and Rob Pearson.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost.

With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

As of Friday, Aug. 22, the ALS Association has received $53.3 million in donations compared to $2.2 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to Aug. 21). These donations have come from existing donors and 1.1 million new donors to the association.