The whole meme started with Boston native Peter Frates. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Frates was a star athlete at Boston College and the diagnosis effectively ended his sports career. He's now working to raise awareness and funds to aid research into the disease.

They based it on a game pro golfers were doing for charity and the two causes collided, then the #IceBucketChallenge became a huge thing.
On Thursday, 200 people in Boston took it at once.
200 buckets of ice are waiting in Copley Square for the Boston #IceBucketChallenge. 1pm
BostonTweet@BostonTweetFollow
200 buckets of ice are waiting in Copley Square for the Boston #IceBucketChallenge. 1pm
12:41 PM - 07 Aug 14RetweetFavorite
A few days before that the Boston Police Department all accepted the challenge.
Great shot! @bostonpolice #IceBucketChallenge #strikeoutals for @PeteFrates3! @RachelOMcGuire @DeputyGross #wcvb
Karen Anderson@karenreportsFollow
Great shot! @bostonpolice #IceBucketChallenge #strikeoutals for @PeteFrates3! @RachelOMcGuire @DeputyGross #wcvb
11:03 AM - 05 Aug 14RetweetFavorite
As well as the mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh.
It's still huge in Massachusetts, but thanks to huge chunks of Facebook tagging each other, it's now happening all over the country.
The way it connects with ALS research is that if you nominate someone and they don't accept the challenge they have to donate $100 to an ALS charity.
#UVa Tom O’Brien takes #IceBucketChallenge to honor former Eagles. @PeteFrates3 @BCSportsNews http://t.co/L0qa0G5ArM
Virginia Football@UVa_FootballFollow
#UVa Tom O’Brien takes #IceBucketChallenge to honor former Eagles. @PeteFrates3 @BCSportsNews
http://t.co/L0qa0G5ArM
11:55 AM - 07 Aug 14RetweetFavorite