Not too late to take the plunge

March 21 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge still open for volunteers

[March 04, 2009]  Be a fan of brrr-avery! More participants are wanted for the March 21 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge into Lincoln Lakes, at noon at the private beach, to support Special Olympics Illinois Central -- Area 10, serving Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities in six counties. The March 7 plunge at Lake Decatur also supports the Area 10 program.

All participants are required to collect a minimum of $75 in donations. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Lincoln. Plungers will be bused to and from the beach site. People are encouraged to come in costume and to form teams. Each team member must raise the minimum of $75 in donations, and all team members' individual fundraising totals will be merged for a team total. Teams are placed into divisions based on size and are awarded prizes for the most money raised. Every participant receives an official Polar Plunge sweatshirt. There are also incentive items for raising additional money, and there are three grand prizes, including a Mexico vacation package from Apple Vacations. Lunch at the Knights of Columbus Hall will follow the plunge. Lunch is free for plungers and $6 for non-plungers. See directions and information at www.soill.org.

Volunteers can register for the Polar Plunge at www.soill.org and also create their own fundraising page, or they can register by contacting Joanie Keyes at 217-428-9255. Last-minute participants are welcome to register the morning of the plunge.

Groups participating are under the names of Wal-Mart Sparks Team, Lincoln School Board, Roger Matson, Lora Fanning, Samantha Fanning and Ryan Curry.

On the Lincoln Lakes Plunge Committee are Jim Comerford; Dan Fulscher of IPEM; Patti Storer; Roger Matson of Action Rentals; Bailey Climer of Lincoln-Broadwell School District; Sally Fleshman, president of Lincoln Lakes Condo Association; Dick Logan of Knights of Columbus; and Ryan Curry, head coach for Lincoln Park District Special Olympics.

Lincoln Lake Polar Plunge sponsors are Lincoln Daily News.com, Lincoln Courier, WAND-TV, WLCN, local access Channel 5, Comcast Spotlight and Banner Times.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run is the single largest year-round fundraising event benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. This intrastate relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: to raise money and increase public awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics. Each year, more than 3,000 officers in Illinois run more than 1,500 miles carrying the "Flame of Hope" through the streets of their hometowns and deliver it to the state Summer Games in Normal in June.

Special Olympics Illinois is a year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics programs are now in 180 countries with 3 million athletes.

[Text from file received from Special Olympics Illinois]