Grantown football team chills out for charity!
The great ice bucket challenge hit Grantown this week – and how!
The biggest stunt yet locally for the craze sweeping Facebook had an equally big bucket to match!
The entire line-up of Grantown based Highland League side Strathspey Thistle – boss Brian Grant included – were challenged by the club’s coach Rob Simpson to undergo the chilling challenge.
And they didn’t flinch at Monday’s training night when faced with the fundraising dare for research into Motor Neurone Disease.
Well, perhaps just the once, when the ice-cold water hit them as it was delivered from a great height by a digger brought in specially for the job.
"The boys did well," said Brian after he dried off, "and they raised a fair bit of money at £3 each for a very good cause. It’s close to my heart too, since I lost a good friend to the disease last year.
"They came through the test without catching a cold and I’m proud of them – although I’m not too sure just what was in the bucket of that digger, and just how clean that iced-water was!
"We’ll find out."
The coach, too, was proud of his boys. Said Rob: "It was all good bonding for the lads. They proved they’re a real team and I’m glad they went through it as well as they did.
"We’re grateful too to James MacDonald of Dalvey Farm at Cromdale, for lending us the digger – although I had to go and drive it down myself! Still, it was a real pleasure to see that water coming down."
And who’s next then?
Anyone who succeeds in enduring the great challenge earns the right to nominate the next victims.
When the "Strathy" asked manager Grant who the lads wanted to dare, he laughed: "The commitee – it’s their turn now. We’re going to challenge the whole committee to go through it!"
