. >> reporter: bonnie lilienfeld is curator of a new exhibit hior america." >> you look at this and think why would the smi collect a mop bucket? you know, it really helps us tell the story that, you know, objects can really help us understand our history. >> it's displayed next to a boch from the 1800s that people would have used to raise money. >> and we have the march of dimes can, that someone would have marched around their can community going door to door asking people to contribute to the march of dimes. that money they collected would go do a much bigger pool of money collected from their community into a bigger pool so in that way it's not much different from the ice bucket challenge. >> reporter: it shows one contribution when put together with so many can make a huge difference. >> yes. it seems like the proverbial drop in the bucket to do it once but when you do it 17 million times, it really has an impact. >> reporter: drops in a bucket or from a bucket can become a deluge of good. jan crawford, cbs news, washington. >> o'donnell: and that is the cbs evening news. right now o

she did the challenge for her husband anthony, who suffers from the degenerative disease.sot bonnie lilienfeld 141303 that was the first documented connection between als and the ice bucket.bonnie lilienfeld is curator of a new exhibit at the smithsonian's museum of american history, called "giving in america." 141325 you you think why would the smithsonian collect a mop bucket?//it really helps us tell the story that objects can really help us understand our history.vo it's displayed next to an alms box from the 1800s people would have used to raise money for charity. 141447 (bonnie) and then we have the march of dimes can that someone would have marched around thier community going door to door asking people in their community to contribute// 141510 that money would be collected and go into a pool and then into a bigger pool and in some ways it is not that different from the it seems like one contribution can make a huge difference1415 12 it seems like the proverbial drop in a bucket when you do it once but when you do it 17 million times it really has an impact.vo drops in a bucket or from