Beverly DPW Uses Dumptruck in 'New Twist' for 'Ice Bucket Challenge'

In the city where the “Ice Bucket Challenge” started, the Department of Public Services accepted the challenge “with a new twist.”

Public Services workers stood on the roof of a building and slid down into a pool of water and ice.

“Instead of dumping the water on us we’re dumping ourselves in the water,” said Michael Collins, Commissioner of Public Services and Engineering.

One of the department’s 10-wheel dumptrucks was filled with water and 5 tons of ice, donated by Cape Pond Ice, Collins said in the 4 minute long video posted on Facebook.

The “Ice Bucket Challenge” started last month by Pete and Julie Frates as a way to use social media to raise money and awareness of ALS. Beverly native Pete Frates, 29, was diagnosed about two years ago with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Frates is a former St. John’s Prep football and hockey star who went on to be captain of the Boston College baseball team.

The challenge has gone viral on social media, where videos of people taking the challenge are posted and then others are “called out” to complete the challenge.

The Beverly workers called out the Peabody, Newburyport and Salem DPWs plus the DPW, police and fire in Marblehead, who had 24 hours to complete the challenge.

ALS is is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, according to the ALS Association.