Special Olympics asking for more Polar Plunge participants this weekend

Last year, the Galesburg Polar Plunge raised about $56,000 from participants taking the plunge into frigid Lake Storey waters.

Brave souls will be dipping into the icy depths from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Lake Storey Pavilion.

Western Area 4 Special Olympics Director Cathy Betar says this year’s plunge has the same $56,000 goal, but that number is “somewhat optimistic.”

“Our number of plungers last year, we had about 360 plungers register,” she says. “This year we have 280.”

Those who wish to participate still have time to sign up.

“We have quite a few who walk up that day and register,” Betar says. “We do encourage people to do that. So there’s still plenty of time, they can come in that day and register anytime after 12:30.”

She says the annual fundraiser brings in about two-thirds of the area Special Olympics budget across three plunges — including the Galesburg plunge on Sunday, one next weekend in Macomb and another on March 20 in Rock Island.

“We encourage businesses to get three or four people from their business to come out and do it,” Betar says. “It’s a fun thing and certainly kind of a team building, crazy thing to do with your employees.”

Anyone who has raised the $100 entry fee is allowed to participate.

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