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 It’s not every day that people are willing to “go jump in a lake”
– particularly in the winter – let alone do so with thousands of
other people, including members of the law enforcement community.
But that’s exactly what will happen on various weekends in February
and March as part of the annual Polar Plunge presented by GEICO.
The Polar Plunge is one of the premier fundraising events for the
Law Enforcement Torch Run and Special Olympics Illinois. In 2016,
more than $1.9 million was raised by 6,480 Plungers statewide; in 18
years, $16.5 million has been raised by more than 60,000 Plungers.
The event has grown from one location in 1999 to 22 locations across
the state (see list below) this year. The Polar Plunge season will
kick off with a SUPER Plunge – where participants raise a minimum of
$2,500 and plunge into Lake Michigan once an hour every hour for 24
hours – on Feb. 17 & 18 at the Clark Street Beach in Evanston.
 Any adventurous soul is invited to join law enforcement officers, as
well as media and business and civic leaders from their community by
donning bathing suits, costumes or any clothing of choice (just no
wet suits!) to jump in a lake. Each Plunger must collect a minimum
of $100 in donations that will be used to support Special Olympics
programs in Illinois.
Plungers are encouraged to form teams to spread the fun. Each team
member must raise the minimum of $100 in donations and all team
members’ individual fundraising totals will be merged to form a
combined team total. Teams are placed into divisions based on size
and are awarded prizes for the most money raised.
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All Plungers will receive gifts, compete for prizes, and enjoy food
and camaraderie with other chilly participants. For every $500 a
Plunger raises, he/she will get an entry into the drawing for this
grand prize.
In Logan County, the annual event will take place on March 18th. Plungers will
be invited to meet at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Lincoln before hand. Buses
will be provided to the plunge sit6e at Lincoln Lakes. An after party will also
take place at the K of C. The Plunge will be held at noon at the lake.
The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run is the single largest year-round
fundraising vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The annual intrastate
relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: to raise money and
increase public awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. 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.
[Michele Evans | Director of
Communications | Special Olympics Illinois]
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