Empire Casino Celebrates A Decade Of ALS Ice Bucket Challenges

YONKERS, NY — Your chance to be part of history in the making while supporting a worthy cause is almost here.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, and the family of ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder and late Yonkers Native Pat Quinn have announced that the date of the 2024 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is set for Saturday, August 3. The annual event will once again take place trackside at the historic Yonkers Raceway located at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts in Westchester.

This year, the festivities are marking a milestone, and celebrating 10 years of the global phenomenon.

Quinn, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2013 at age 30, co-founded the global event in 2014. In the decade since, the one-of-a-kind fundraiser has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in private donations for ALS research and medical advances to extend the lives of ALS patients.

Leading the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge for another year is Quinn’s father, Patrick Quinn, Sr., who continues to pay tribute to his son and ensure his mission continues. Hosting a variety of fundraising events throughout the year, Quinn’s nonprofit organization, Quinn for the Win Find Your Smile Foundation ("Quinn for the Win"), continues to have a significant impact at both local and national levels.

"I'm so grateful for the continued support of Mayor Mike Spano, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, and community members from Yonkers and far beyond who continue to fight onwards toward a cure through keeping the ice bucket challenge going each and every year," Patrick Quinn, Sr. said. "ALS ruins families… I’ve seen it. The Yonkers community has been the champion of our family and ALS patients nationwide, especially in the last few years without Pat. My son built such a strong system of support and his Quinn for the Win - Find Your Smile Foundation is nothing short of remarkable. Pat laid the groundwork to find a cure, and now it’s our job to finish his mission to defeat ALS once and for all. I look forward to seeing everyone on August 3."

Locally, Quinn for the Win provides cash grants to local ALS patients and their families to offset expenses not covered by medical insurance, including wheelchair adjustments needed as patients’ physical limitations change as the disease progresses and home renovations to accommodate wheelchairs, as well as providing financial support for organizations that serve families of ALS patients. Quinn For The Win also supports sleep studies at St. John’s Riverside Hospital to help find solutions for sleep difficulties faced by ALS patients.

More than 17 million people around the world participated in the challenge via social media by dumping buckets of ice water on their heads. The event continues to remain a catalyst for raising funds to support research to identify a cure for the debilitating disease and raise awareness of the need for more research funding. It is reported that an ALS patient dies in the U.S. every ninety minutes, according to organizers.

ALS, often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Quinn lost his battle with ALS in November 2020.. While the prognosis for ALS patients 80 years after Lou Gehrig was diagnosed remains the same, technology now exists to keep those living with ALS alive longer. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 5,000 individuals are newly diagnosed with ALS across the U.S. annually.

In the ten years since it was founded, ALS Ice Bucket Challenges have also increased the awareness of this deadly disease globally. Ten years ago, when the challenge was just beginning, only 80 multidisciplinary clinics for ALS were open around the country. Now, more than 240 are open nationally where ALS patients can see a pathologist and all the medical disciplines they need all in one place.

According to the ALS Association, more than $2 million has been invested into the development of a new drug, Relyvrio, that was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help slow down the effects of ALS. In the last six years, three ALS drugs have been approved by the FDA with several others in clinical trials. Also, approximately 130 research projects are being funded in twelve countries around the world thanks in large part to Quinn’s efforts.

"The City of Yonkers is proud to carry the legacy of Pat Quinn over the last decade," Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said. "Every year, I witness the inspirational show of love for Pat and because of him, there is greater hope. We can’t stop now. There are so many families dealing with the devastation of ALS. We are in this every August until we find a cure with our partners at Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts."

Since 2015, Empire City Casino has hosted the annual challenge, with the exception of 2020 because of the pandemic. The City of Yonkers donates buckets and the stage for the event and organizes online registration for participants. Empire City underwrites the cost of the event and donates the space, staffing, and over 1,300 pounds of ice.

"Through the ice bucket challenge that had its roots right here in Yonkers, we’ve seen ten years of inspiration, dedication and compassion in our community through the Quinn family," Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts' Taryn Duffy said. "Empire City is proud to support and honor the legacy of Pat Quinn and his family in the fight for awareness and the nonstop pursuit of a cure for ALS patients around the world."

The 2024 Annual Ice Bucket Challenge will be held outdoors trackside, is free to participate, and attendees of all ages are welcome. Day-of, walk-up registration will also be available, but online advance registration is strongly encouraged to secure a space and bucket. For more information and to register, please visit www.empirecitycasino.com.

Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. with the ice bucket dump scheduled for 2 p.m.