Group Ice Bucket Challenge to Help Swampscott's 'Mrs. B'

The Ice Bucket Challenge, which has gone viral this summer with the help from a North Shore man battling ALS, will get even closer to home on Friday.

Longtime Swampscott resident and teacher Maureen Bolognese, 71, known to many as Mrs. B., has lived in Swampscott for 42 years and for 33 years was a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Winthrop, East Boston, Lynn, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Swampscott.

The mother of two has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Her daughter Nicole Bolognese lives in Hoboken, N.J. and son Dave Bolognese lives in Marblehead with his wife Alicia and Mrs. B’s three grandchildren, David, Michael and Luke. Her family is raising money to renovate the Swampscott home she shared with her husband Peppi, with basic improvements to help Mrs. B. get around the home in her wheelchair, including getting up and down stairs. They money will also be used to help pay for medical bills not covered by insurance and a new wheelchair seat, a device to allow Mrs. B to communicate via her eyes - at a cost of about $20,000 - and other items.

As of Thursday, $9,390 had been raised from 81 people on the Indiegogo crowdfunding website.

Bolognese was diagnosed with ALS in September 2013 after retiring early from teaching in 2006 after being diagnosed with neuropathy.

The Ice Bucket Challenge in support of Mrs. B. will happen on Friday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 174 Humphrey St. in Swampscott, where she has been a parishioner for more than four decades.

Anyone who plans to participate should bring a bucket and ice. Water will be available at the church.

For more information, call 781-593-2544.