Vincent Gentile takes ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

August 20, 2014 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Councilman Vincent Gentile gets doused not by one, but by two buckets of ice water, courtesy of Bay Ridge businesswoman Arlene Rutuelo (left) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis outside his district office on Fifth Avenue Wednesday morning. Eagle photo by Paula Katinas

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It’s a good thing Councilmember Vincent Gentile didn’t wear a suit to work on Wednesday. He got soaking wet!

Gentile (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst) took part in the summertime phenomenon known as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Wednesday morning outside his Fifth Avenue District office. Doing the honors were Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis (R-C-Bay Ridge-Staten Island) and Arlene Rutuelo, owner of Nordic Delicacies on Third Avenue. Both women had issued the challenge to Gentile.

For good measure, Malliotakis put an ice cube down Gentile’s back before pouring a bucket of ice water on his head as a “trial run.”

The two women took turns dousing Gentile, first Rutuelo poured the water on the councilman’s head, then it was Malliotakis’s turn.

The ice water was a shock to his system, Gentile admitted. “You think you’re prepared for it. But when that ice water hits your back, you realize how cold it is!” he said.

Participants all over the country are having themselves doused with ice water to raise awareness of ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The legendary New York Yankee died of the disease back in the 1940s. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised millions of dollars for the ALS Association, an organization that raises money for research into a cure for the disease.

Before he even had a chance to dry off, Gentile announced that he was making a $100 donation to the ALS Association.