Largest Simultaneous ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Returns To Empire City

Jun 26, 2023

YONKERS, NY — Before his death in 2020, Pat Quinn helped create and champion the now familiar ALS Ice Bucket challenge. It's only fitting that his hometown will host its 10th annual largest simultaneous ice bucket challenge ever.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Empire City Casino and the family of ALS Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder/late Yonkers native Pat Quinn have announced that the 2023 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge will take place on Saturday, August 5. The festivities will start trackside at the Empire City Casino, at 1 p.m. The ice bucket dump is scheduled for 2 p.m. Participants can pre-register online here.

The event, co-founded by Quinn after his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2013, became a worldwide phenomenon in 2014, when thousands of people participated in the challenge via social media.

The 10th annual Ice Bucket Challenge will be held outdoors trackside, will be free to participate in and attendees of all ages will be welcome (entrance into Empire City Casino is limited to those 18 and older). Walk-up registration will be available on the day of the event, but online advance registration is recommended to secure a space and bucket. For more information and to register, visit the Empire City Casino website.

Quinn lost his battle with ALS in November 2020, yet his drive and determination live on through his family, friends, community and beyond to raise awareness and find a cure for the approximately 20,000 Americans who currently suffer from ALS. Approximately 5,000 people across the U.S. are newly diagnosed with the disease annually.

Leading the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge charge again this year will be Quinn’s dad, Patrick Quinn Sr., who continues to pay tribute to his son and ensure that 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.

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 as the disease progresses and home renovations to accommodate wheelchairs, as well as providing financial support for organizations that serve the families of ALS patients. The nonprofit also supports St. John’s Riverside Hospital to help find solutions for sleep difficulties faced by ALS patients through sleep studies that are currently not covered by medical insurance.

"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," Patrick Quinn, Sr said. "The community that Pat has built to support this effort 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 and find a cure to defeat ALS once and for all. I look forward to seeing everyone on August 5th."

ALS, also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. With no known cure yet, Quinn began the Ice Bucket Challenge to put ALS "on ice" by raising awareness and funding for research. The challenge helped inspire billions of dollars in donations for ALS research, which has helped produce significant discoveries and breakthroughs. The ALS Association says that more than $2 million has been invested into the development of a new drug, Relyvrio, that was recently approved by the FDA to help slow down the effects of ALS. Approximately 130 research projects are being funded in twelve countries worldwide due to Quinn’s efforts.

"The City of Yonkers is proud to carry the legacy of Pat Quinn," Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said. "Every year, I witness the inspirational show of love for Pat and others who are living with ALS. Because of Pat, there is greater hope and we can’t stop now. 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, except during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Yonkers donates buckets and the stage for the event and organizes the online registration for participants. Empire City underwrites the cost of the event and donates the space, staffing and over 1,300 pounds of ice.

"Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts continues to be inspired by the legacy of Pat Quinn and his family in the fight for awareness and a cure for ALS patients around the world," Ed Domingo, Senior VP and GM for Empire City, said. "We are incredibly humbled to be a part of a community that always shows up and supports each other."