Written by: Andraya Barnett
There is a fundraiser that everyone has been talking about and it has become much more popular over the years. It's a freezing sensation called the Polar Plunge. It has become an annual winter time event, where many raise money then jump in an icy body of water, for Special Olympics. For many people, this event is very important, including the thousands of athletes that participate in the Special Olympics.
For the high school students, the Polar Plunge will be held Friday, Feb. 14, during school hours. The regular plunge will be held Saturday Feb. 15. The Polar Plunge is held in Borden at Deam Lake; other counties in the area also do it.
Last year the students chose to do a Dr. Seuss theme with the meaning, “Why fit in, when you were born to stand out?” Every year the students pick a theme with a specific meaning and/or message. This year's theme is Minions, “A minion reasons to take the plunge.”
But the plunge isn't just for students only; it's for anyone who wants to register online, raise $99 and be at least 12 years old by the day of the plunge. However, only current students and staff are able to join the school team, “The Arctic Lions.”
The Polar Plunge is a really fun way for everyone to raise money for the Special Olympics every year. With participation across the entire country, it is sure to be a very big contribution to use for Special Olympics. When considering that the Special Olympics are free to all the athletes, it takes many donations to fund it. Keep on plunging to help support these athletes so they can show all their special talents.
The approximate amount of money raised by the SHS team annually is between $2,000-$3,000. SHS first participated in the Plunge in the year of 2016. Because the Polar Plunge is done as a field trip, students need to register by Feb. 7.
They can contact sponsor Angela Phipps at aphipps@salemschools.us for more information.