NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Just days after her passing, a beloved American treasure is again trending on Twitter.
This time, it's as "#bettywhitechallenge." What is it? Well, it's a call to action that some say is the best tribute possible for a TV legend.
Question for you. Is there anywhere in Nashville that reminds you of Betty White? Maybe Cheesecake Factory? The Golden Girls loved some cheesecake. A TV station could possibly remind some of Sue Ann Nivens on Mary Tyler Moore.
How about the Nashville Humane Association?
"Like so many out there, I'm addicted to 'Golden Girls,'" laughed Kenneth Tallier of the Nashville Humane Assocation. "Like cheesecake, it is comfort food."
Tallier loves those great Golden Girls scenes.
"Dorothy's at the kitchen island and says, 'cheesecake, Rose?' And Rose says, 'let's taste it and find out!'"
Classic.
Tallier knows, beyond being sitcom royalty, Betty White had a heart for animals as big as St. Olaf.
"She used her celebrity to be a voice for the animals that can't speak," said Tallier. "You just gotta love her and respect her for that."
Betty White's passing, just weeks before her 100th birthday, was sad news for so many.
"I did go out and get cheesecake that evening in her honor," said Tallier. "This one's for Betty."
Since then, an item's been trending on Twitter; the #bettywhitechallenge. It's asking people to donate five dollars or more to an animal rescue or shelter on Jan. 17, Betty White's 100th birthday.
"I know several donations have already come in to Nashville Humane Association," Tallier said. "The message is simple. For Betty."
Social media has worked in Betty White's favor before. A social media campaign played a role in winning her a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live in 2010.
Tallier said there couldn't be a better way to tell Betty, 'thank you for being a friend.'
"She is somewhere right now, smiling down, surrounded by dogs from her past," he said. "She's just happy people are remembering her in this way. For lack of better words, she's truly golden."
