Participants and pledges up in another successful Polar Plunge

[March 19, 2012]  The area director for Special Olympics, Joanie Keyes, is very happy with the Polar Plunge held in Lincoln on Saturday.

"First of all, a big thank-you to everyone on a very successful event, and thank you for your support," Keyes said. 

Keyes oversees the Lincoln and Decatur events. The Decatur event in December had 500 participants and raised $85,000.

While final figures aren't all in yet, the Lincoln plungers totaled 180 and the funds tallied at $26,491. This figure does not include lunch and raffle money, or the almost $1,100 raised in sponsorship and collections at local games.

Ryan Curry, who oversees the local event, said the committee begins meeting once a month in September, and that bumps up to two meetings in March, plus two full days setting up for the event. Curry was very pleased with this year's event success also.

The following received special recognition in this year's Polar Plunge supporting Special Olympics:

Most money raised by a team with fewer than five people

1. Railer Royalty (Lincoln High School), $1,027

2. Fanning Family, $427

3. Blue Doggs, $425

Most money raised by a team of five to 15 people

1. Brenna's Fairies, $950

2. Team Chilly Willy, $775.70

3. Graue Inc., $696

Most money raised by a team with 15-plus people

1. Trojans: Lincoln Junior High, $6,105.25

2. Team Curry, $4,869.50

3. Monsanto, $3,737

Team who recruited the most plungers

1. Trojans: Lincoln Junior High, 40

2. Team Curry, 24

3. Wal-Mart Sparks, 19

Most money raised by an individual

1. Ryan Boyd, $1,050

2. Adam Cheatham, $797

3. Becky Rybolt, $640

Best costume

1. Brenna's Fairies

2. Railer Royalty

3. Chilly Willy's

Oldest plunger

• Donna Jean Nelson

Spirit Award

• Trojans: Lincoln Junior High

Honorary Plunger Award

• WLCN: 12 Hotties and a Dude (They will plunge first next year.)

Flat-screen TV (given to a student plunger 18 years or younger who raised a minimum of $75)

• Aron Hopp

Keyes expressed her appreciation: "Many thanks to the committee and all the sponsors, plungers, spectators and volunteers for making this year's event a splashing success. We will look forward to 2013."

[LDN with text from Joanie Keyes, area director, Special Olympics Illinois Central/Area 10]