A cool solution: Avalara contributes to the national ALS Ice Bucket Challenge movement

Bainbridge-based tax software company Avalara became the latest on an increasingly long list of people and groups to participate in the national ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Friday, Aug. 22.

September 1, 2014 1:36 pm
Avalara CEO Scott McFarlane takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge along with roughly 170 employees of the Bainbridge company.
Avalara CEO Scott McFarlane takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge along with roughly 170 employees of the Bainbridge company.

Bainbridge-based tax software company Avalara became the latest on an increasingly long list of people and groups to participate in the national ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Friday, Aug. 22.

The national movement involves the dumping of a bucket of ice water on someone’s head to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). The trend has gone viral through various social media outlets since early July of this year.

“This couldn’t be more personal for me,” said Avalara CEO Scott McFarlane just prior to the mass soaking of approximately 170 employees outside of the company’s Bainbridge office last week. “My best friend, my roommate, my first business partner is suffering from this horrific disease.”

McFarlane said that Avalara would donate $100 to cure research for each employee who participated.

The orange buckets, in keeping with the company’s trademark color, were loaned to them for the event by Home Depot in Poulsbo and the ice was donated by Town & Country in downtown Winslow.