Apollo Vredestein takes on Ice Bucket Challenge

Since the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral a couple of months back, millions have doused themselves with icy water and uploaded a video of the proceedings, and many of the protagonists have performed the feat as a fundraiser for non-profit organisation the ALS Association or other motor neurone disease associations. Apollo Vredestein says that ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a harsh reality for several of its employees, and therefore last Friday the tyre maker took up the the Ice Bucket Challenge gauntlet cast in its direction by Revalidatiecentrum Roessingh, a rehabilitation centre based near the company’s headquarters in Enschede, the Netherlands.

According to Jan Mos, Apollo Vredestein’s board member for human resources, the challenge was an excellent opportunity to put the ‘Apollo One Family’ company value into practice. Despite the fact that employees were only informed of the challenge on the day itself, and therefore didn’t come prepared with spare clothing or towels, a large number of people from all parts of the company – including the Apollo Vredestein board – accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The result: wet clothing for many and a €10,000 cheque for the ALS Nederland foundation.

Many of the company’s employees have already shown commitment to helping colleagues affected by ALS over the past years through participation in events such as the Tour du ALS, an occasion where cyclists, runners and hikers came together to raise funds for much-needed research into the causes of the disease.

Video of Apollo Vredestein’s Ice Bucket Challenge can be viewed here.