People were freezin’ for a reason on Saturday when they took the Polar Plunge.
15 brave participants jumped into freezing water in support of the Special Olympics. Last year 12 people jumped.
Michelle Meadows, Chair of the Dauphin Polar Plunge says so far they have raised $3500, which is about what they raised last year.
“It’s not only the fundraiser, but it’s the exposure. Well, the cold exposure, but it’s also the exposure for people to come out and see.”
With the temperature on Saturday around -22 and a wind-chill of -36 both the jumpers and those who cheered them on were cold.
“We’re lucky enough to have the fire department really helping us out. They were awesome! We had two volunteer firemen who have been trained in cold water rescue, and they were in their rescue gear. They were in there and they said it was warm. I don’t know if that was just to lure people into the water. We also had the firemen fill up the tank.”
Darren Anderson, Manager of law enforcement torch run and partnerships with Special Olympics Manitoba, says these kinds of events support the dozens of athletes here at home. He spoke to us last year.
“Provincially we have over 17 hundred athletes. In the Parkland region alone we have 54. In Dauphin, we have 15-25 and that’s just on the floor hockey program. Around the region, we have bowling in Winnipegosis, Russell, and Swan River. Snowshoeing in Russell and Swimming in Swan River.”
Meadows says organizers are looking forward to holding the 3rd plunge next year.
