Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik, center, is doused with a bucket of ice-water by his wife Tricia as part of the Ice Bucket Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Challenge in front of Westfield City Hall Saturday. Joining in the fundraising event are state Sen. Donald Humason, Jr., left and state Rep. John Velis, right. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Mayor Daniel Knapik, state Sen. Donald Humason, and state Rep. John Velis accepted an icy challenge Saturday when buckets of freezing ice water were dumped on their heads on the steps of Westfield City Hall.
The challenge – posed to Knapik Friday by Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse – is a social media phenomenon known as the Ice Bucket Challenge. The challenge is aimed at raising awareness and funds for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The Ice Bucket Challenge was started by Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player diagnosed with ALS three years ago. Frates joined forces with another person with the disease and they challenged people to be doused with ice water within 24 hours or donate $100 to ALS.
Once accepted, a person records the chilly challenge and posts the video on Facebook, then challenges three others to do the same.
Knapik, Humason and Velis all not only accepted the challenge, but pledged donations to the cause as well.
Knapik donned a Westfield Babe Ruth uniform borrowed from coach Frank Mochak in order to show his support for the local champs who are headed to the World Series in Florida. Velis wore a Kevin J. Major Foundation shirt, a nod to the annual hockey tournament taking place that same day in honor of a young Westfield man who died two years ago in a drowning accident caused by an unknown heart defect.
No stranger to cold waters, Humason said having the bucket of ice dumped on him on a hot summer day was a refreshing change from the Penguin Plunge he normally takes each January.
Humason said ALS is a cause close to his heart and he was happy to douse himself with ice and water for the cause.
“I was friends with Gov. Paul Cellucci, who fought this disease and raised awareness of ALS,” said Humason. “I will be making a donation in his name.”
Velis was also aware of ALS because of Cellucci. Velis’ uncle and Cellucci were friends and Velis wanted to help spread awareness of the debilitating disease.
“And, I don’t back down from a challenge,” he said.
Velis said the widespread Ice Bucket Challenge is proof of the power of social media.
Knapik challenged Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen, West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan, and Southwick Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart to follow suit. Velis challenged his friend and campaign manager Felix Otero, and Humason challenged fellow senator James Welch and Benjamin Downing, as well as his predecessor Michael Knapik.
Helping Knapik get blasted with ice and water were his wife, Tricia, and children Jack and Thomas. While Humason and Velis doused themselves, Tricia Knapik was more than happy to dump the bucket on her husband.
“She’s been waiting 12 years to do this,” Knapik joked.
After the Ice Bucket Challenge, Humason and Velis presented the Babe Ruth team with a state flag to take to Florida.
Velis told the team that Westfield was proud of them and would be rooting for them in the series.
