On Friday night, an ice bucket challenge was organized at the Sacred Heart-Griffin High School football stadium. In the event sponsored by Springfield families affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), around 300 people had taken part.

The event was not organized to raise funds, but to make people aware of the incurable disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. People present at the event stood between the 30-yard lines carrying buckets of ice water in hand.

As talk-radio host Sam Madonia completed the countdown, all the attended poured the bucket water on them. There were all cheers across the stadium as people drenched themselves with frigid waters.

One of the participants was former Southeast coach Steve Rockford, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. Rockford’s wife, Tammie lifted the bucket and poured the ice water on her husband’s head. Southeast High School coach Robert Spain said that many of players had taken part in the event.

Spain said that they were at the event to support Rockford and his family. Mayvis Volpert was the youngest participant, as he is just 13 months old. Her father, Andy Volpert, a teacher at Southeast High School, affirmed that Mayvis did not cry throughout the event.

In the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was started and became the world’s largest global social media initiative. Over 17 million people have posted on videos as they took up the challenge and the videos have been watched by 440 million people.