Bitterly cold.
Those words sum up Saturday morning’s third annual Polar Plunge held at Mouse Lake to benefit Special Olympics athletes. About 100 people took the plunge into the lake, which happened to be warmer than the air temperature.
“It was down just a little bit (attendance),” said Jana Fornelli, vice-president of development and Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Kansas Special Olympics.
Despite temperatures in the teens and falling snow, a full crowd of costumed plungers and spectators arrived at Mouse Lake to witness the scene.
About 30 minutes before the plunge was set to begin, Mouse Lake was already crowded and streets were filled with cars for blocks. The temperature was around 19 degrees at 11 a.m. The snow added to the plunge, making it truly polar. Plungers shivered while they waited — some dressed in costumes that didn’t have sleeves. Others were in head-to-toe costumes, but with the temperature were still shivering from the cold. Dogs attended the event as well — some small dogs huddled in their owners’ coats.
Just before taking the plunge into water that was 39 degrees — much warmer than the air temperature — plungers were briefed on the rules and took an oath to take the plunge for a good cause.
As snow continued to fall, cheers rang out as the first plungers jumped into the lake. Then more went in. As the wet plungers passed those still waiting to take the dive, the reactions were mixed. Some exclaimed that the water felt warmer than standing on the sidelines, others shivered into the heated changing tents not saying a word. Still others said it was so cold it sucked the breath out of them.
Tension at the back of the line grew as more and more freezing plungers hurried by to get out of their wet clothes. Erin Rodriguez, of Emporia, was one of those plungers who had just emerged from the changing tent to see the rest of the plungers jump.
“It was bitterly cold,” Rodriguez said as she attempted to comb out her hair that was laced with ice. “My hair is frozen.”
This is the third year that Rodriguez and her best friend Carrie Serrano, of Emporia, have participated in the plunge.
“It’s for a good cause,” Serrano said as she also shivered from having just jumped into Mouse Lake.
The plungers raised $21,777 this year, which fell just below last year’s total, Fornelli said.
Awards were given out during the event as well. The best individual costume was Keith Shaver; the best team costume was The Plungers of the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office; the most enthusiastic jumper was Michael Enloc; the wimpiest jumper was Jennifer Tibbetts; Marjean Anderson raised the most money; and the Bruffs team raised the most money as a team.
Fornelli said the tentative date for next year’s Polar Plunge is Feb. 13.
“We are talking about adding a couples category for our awards,” she said. “Since it’s so close to Valentine’s Day.”
Fornelli said despite slightly lower attendance this year the Polar Plunge was a success.
“It was so cold,” she said. “I think it was still a great event.”