The cartoon below shows the anger that some people have expressed about all the whoopla over the ALS Ice Bucket challenge.

That’s fine. Everyone has the right to express their opinion.

ALS CEO Jane Gilbert retired as of Aug. 1, 2014. Even though she just retired, she should get some credit for running an organization that will, in all likelihood, increase its fundraising abilities more than 50 times in the span of one year.

And, while she might not have been the person who thought up the challenge, the basic idea behind the Ice Bucket Challenge is impressive – and creative. Just having the idea go viral throughout the world has raised awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease that is often called Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

This degenerative disease affects nerves in the spinal cord and in the brain, and leads to death.

There is no cure.

Victims slowly waste away. It is a harsh thing for any person to watch, as loved ones slowly lose control of limbs, motor skills, talking … and breathing.

So, let’s face it. Any means of bringing attention to ALS is a plus.

And, wow, what a creative and lucrative job this organization has done. The Ice Bucket donations apparently broke the $100 million mark on Friday, and Hays County residents have been opening their pockets, stepping up to the challenge.

(The ALS Foundation raised a bit more than $2.8 million during the same period last year, so the Challenge is certainly working.)

It is working locally as well. Tuesday morning, the Hays County commissioners court took a break at 9:30 a.m., as people lined the sidewalk outside the courthouse, trying to get as many as possible to do the challenge all at once.

Buda Chamber and city folks did the same last week, and Kyle residents have been doing the same.

Just take a look on the internet and you get the idea. One person writes a check, dumps ice water – or gets someone else to do it – on themselves and challenges others to do the same.

Family members who have had loved ones die from ALS have taken the challenge; people who haven’t know anyone with ALS have taken the challenge.

It’s a wonderful thing to see – and to do.

So, hey, grumpies. Quit stressing over how much a CEO makes, especially when compared to the CEOs of other major charity organizations, and join the fund.

Or, at the very least. Write out your $100 check.

We’ll excuse you from getting all wet.

Let’s keep the challenge in perspective:

While recently retired ALS CEO Jane Gilbert is reported to receive a salary of $339,475, that’s much smaller than a lot of other salaries for CEOs of major non-profit organizations.

Here’s a look at others from Charity Watch’s latest figures, published in the winter of 2013.:

• Peter T. Scardino, M.D. of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center – $2,207,147

• Michael Friedman, M.D. of City of Hope – $1,434,148

• Edward Benz, Jr., M.D. of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund – $1,406,429

• Kenneth Guidera, Chief Medical Officer, Shriners Hospitals for Children – $1,374,996

• Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, CEO of International Fellowship of Christians and Jews – $1,203,690

• Edwin Feulner, Jr., Past President of Heritage Foundation – $1,172,321

• Steven Sanderson, Past President/CEO of Wildlife Conservation Society – $1,163,666

• Jonathan Simons, M.D., CEP of Prostate Cancer Foundation – $1,123,097

• Robert Beal, CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – $1,073,725

• Brian Gallagher, CEO of United Way Worldwide – $1,035,347

• Harry Johns, CEO of Alzheimer’s Association-N.O. – $996,824

• Robert Mazzuca, Past Chief Scout Executive of Boy Scouts of America-N.O. – $987,412

• Wayne LaPierre, CEO & Executive VP of National Rifle Association & Foundation, respectively – $972,000

• Scott Blackmun, CEO of United States Olympic Committee – $965,359

• William Brody, M.D., President of Salk Institute for Biological Studies – $946,823

• William Evans, Director/CEO of St. Jude Children’s Hospital/ALSAC – $939,979