Plungers risk frigid temps to raise funds for Special athletes
3… 2… 1… PLUNGE! For over 20 years, the annual Oshkosh Polar Plunge has supported local causes as brave participants have been freezin’ for a reason. This year’s plunge took place on February 12 at Menominee Park and consisted of live music, food, merchandise, and of course, the plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Winnebago. West has been participating in this event for over a decade, thanks to the leadership of science chair and O’Neil National Honors Society advisor, Sara Dobish.
Dobish encourages her students to take a dive as it goes towards helping those in the surrounding community.
“It’s a fundraiser for the Special Olympics where people raise money to jump in the lake,” she said. “We participate because it’s been a long-standing tradition for O’Neil to do and the money stays local.”
This year, the event was presented by Community First Credit Union, and raised money for the Special Olympic Athletes of Wisconsin. Senior, and first year plunger, Luke Schaefer finds the cause to be a driving force of his motivation to jump.
“This event raises money to support the Special Olympics, which I think is important because we can help include people with special needs in athletics,” he said. “They don’t get a lot of opportunities like the rest of us do, so it's a great thing to be a part of events like this.”
The Special Olympics supports those with special needs who are interested in participating in sports. They play in games and tournaments against one another, possibly even qualifying for the Paralympics.
In order to participate, students must raise money to donate to the cause. Despite having a small group of plungers this year, Dobish’s team succeeded at raising a large amount in donations.
“Students are required to raise $100 to participate. This is a Special Olympics rule,” she said. “We have a smaller team this year but still raised almost $3000.”
Finding enough people to help support the cause could be difficult for some, but for junior Isabelle Polishiniski, the process was easy and straightforward.
“You had to register for a team and then you raise a certain amount of money for the fees,” she said. “You can ask family members, friends, anyone you want. It can be via cash donation, or online; it all just kind of depends. Then you just show up and go and jump.”
Because of the quick application system, Polishiniski appreciated the easy opportunity to help make a difference.
“It’s for a good cause and it’s just something quick and easy to do,” she said. “You’re able to raise money and it’s going towards something good.”
Groups of plungers gathered at Lake Winnebago from all over the surrounding area, including Neenah, Chilton, and more. Police departments and fire crews came to jump as well,and the event was covered by local news stations. Polishiniski felt that this added another layer of a friendly atmosphere and support to the cause.
“It brings the community together,” she said. “There were a bunch of people there, like news crews and a whole bunch of local businesses. It’s just good exposure for a good cause.”
Plunging into the depths of the water sounds easy, especially with a good cause behind it. However, many students felt the Siberian waters impact them even before the real deal. For junior Braelee Jodarski, participating was a frozen wish come true.
“It's something I have always wanted to do, and I'm supporting the Special Olympics,” she said. “I was nervous, but I was excited to jump. I knew it was going to be cold.”
Junior Ben Grill maintained an optimistic view of the plunge-to-come.
“I was excited to go out with O’Neil and support a good cause,” he said. “I was nervous, and I knew it was going to be cold, but I was excited anyway.”
Schaefer had similar fears for the cold, but prepared his body and mind beforehand.
“I was really excited, but I was also really nervous to jump,” he said. “I took an ice bath the night before to prepare for it.”
For those few polar bears amongst the crowd, the cold waters were nothing. Senior and returning plunger Ivan Abramovich was one of those few.
“I totally love being cold,” he said. “It’s just my favorite thing in the world.”
Polishiniski looked forward more to the aftermath of the jump, including a communal hot tub for the frigid plungers.
“I was a bit nervous, so I anticipated the aftermath of jumping because we were soaking wet, but then we got to jump right into a hot tub, so it was all good,” she said.
To ensure jumpers were completely safe, local assistance was located all around the jump site. There were also divers in the water to guide frozen plungers out.
“There were medics that were right on site with us in case of a need for medical assistance,” Polishiniski said. “We had the fire department and EMS here as well, all on site ready to help.”
After plunging, participating groups left with the knowledge that they had succeeded in helping out a good cause. For Dobish, these students are making an impact through an event that most would pass to the side. Without their contribution, organizations like the Special Olympics wouldn’t be possible.
“Non-profit organizations still need money to run activities,” she said. “People can volunteer to coach and referee sports, but this one in particular benefits athletes with special needs to compete in sports they may otherwise not be able to participate in.”
by: Len Kloss
Published on February 21, 2023
Oshkosh West Index volume 119 issue V