Daughters aid Martins in challenge

Richard Tedesco

State Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) became the latest public official to accept the ALS Ice Challenge when his two eldest daughters, Kaitlin and Vanessa, dumped a bucket of ice water on him outside their home in Old Westbury last Friday.

Martins said his two youngest daughters, Emma and Caroline, cheered the other two on as he took the soaking and donated $100 to ALS Foundation as part of the growing phenomenon to help build awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

“It’s a great cause. It’s amazing to me how big it’s become,” Martins said after the ordeal by ice water. “It’s a testament to the generosity of our society to support great causes.”

He said several friends from Mineola, including John Kessler, had challenged him. 

Martins said Village of Westbury Trustees Steve Corte and Beaumont Jackson subsequently challenged him along with Village Clerk Ted Blach in front of the Village of Westbury Village Hall – but he told them they were too late.

“It was cold. You can certainly feel it. You go breathless for a moment,” Martins said. “You can brace yourself all you want, but you’re going to feel it.”

He said he’s challenged his two brothers, Tony and Jonathan, and his sisters, Dr. Marlene Labato and Vanessa Parri, to take the ALS Ice Challenge.

The Ice Bucket Challenge, popularized through social media, requires participants to donate $100 to the ALS Foundation or film themselves having a bucket of ice water dumped over their heads and nominate three other people to take the plunge within 24 hours. 

In the last year, the ALS Association has raised approximately $31.5 million in donations, according to its website.

Given the way the ALS Challenge has taken off, Martins said he’d like to see some kind of similar fundraising stunt to build awareness and funding support to battle other medical maladies.

“It makes you wonder whether there’s a way to harness this kind of giving and creativity for Alzheimer’s and breast cancer,” he said.

Roslyn school Trustee Adam Haber, who is running against state Martins in this year’s 7th state Senate District race, accepted the ALS challenge four days before Martins.

Haber said he was challenged by North Hempstead Town Clerk Wayne Wink, as well as Syosset school Trustee Josh Lazafan and state Assemblyman Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove).

Wink also challenged state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck).

A spokeswoman for Schimel said the assemblywoman would take the challenge along with Fran Reid, the town’s former chief sustainability officer, and donate to the ALS Association sometime in the near future.

Wink, of Roslyn, took the challenge a week before Martins, still dressed in his workday suit, outside the Mary Jane Davies Park across the street from Town Hall. 

Wink’s wife Stacey, his first nomination, also participated.

North Hempstead Town Councilman Peter Zuckerman, who challenged Wink, took the fundraising dunking at the hands of his intern, Matthew Wigler, and children, Matthew and Emily, two weeks ago.

Zuckerman, who was nominated by Wigler, also issued the challenge to his brother, Michael Zuckerman.

Share this Article