What is the viral Betty White Challenge? Fans pay homage to ‘Golden Girls’ actress who would have been 100 years old this year

Betty White (Image via pop land/YouTube)

Fans have created the Betty White Challenge to pay homage to The Golden Girls actress. Betty passed away on December 31, 2021, just a few weeks before her 100th birthday.

The challenge includes donating $5 at a local animal shelter on January 17, her birth anniversary.

With a passion for taking care of animals from a young age, the actress had been working for animal welfare for a very long time.

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What is the Betty White Challenge?

The Betty White Challenge did its rounds around the internet weeks before the actress passed away in her sleep. The challenge was originally intended as a celebration for her 100th birthday.

The Betty White Challenge is very simple - a person needs to donate $5 to any local animal rescue center in Betty White's name. The creator of the challenge is unknown, however, a Twitter user named Nicole Maria Eldred created the poster for the challenge.

The actress spent years doing her best for animal welfare. She had worked with the Morris Animal Foundation since the seventies, as well as the L.A. Zoo. The Foundation worked on animal health and funded health studies for various animals such as dogs, cats, lizards, and other wildlife.

Betty White used to credit her parents, who were animal lovers too, for her attachment towards animal welfare. Reportedly, she had 26 dogs at one point in her life!

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Achievements and other works

Betty White had been involved in the entertainment industry for 70 years. During this time, she worked on various projects. She is most well-known for her role of Rose Nylund on the sitcom The Golden Girls, which ran from 1985-1992. She received multiple Emmy awards as well as a Grammy.

Betty White also spoke out against racial injustice and for LGBT rights. In 1954, when she was asked to remove a Black tap dancer from The Betty White Show, she replied:

"I'm sorry. Live with it."

In favour of same-sex marriages, she was once quoted as saying:

"If a couple has been together all that time – and there are gay relationships that are more solid than some heterosexual ones – I think it's fine if they want to get married. I don't know how people can get so anti-something. Mind your own business, take care of your affairs, and don't worry about other people so much."

Betty White was close friends with Liberace, who she stated, after his death, that he was indeed gay.

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Fans support the Betty White Challenge

Betty White is loved throughout the U.S. and fans are more than happy to take part in the challenge, as evident in some of these Twitter posts:

A documentary on the life of Betty White is set to be released on January 17, 2022. The film was initially titled Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration but has since been changed to Betty White: A Celebration in light of the actress' passing.