©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Hundreds Take a Dip for a Good Cause |
The air temperature was 25 degrees and the wind was out of the north gusting to 20 miles per hour - and yet nearly 200 people went diving into the icy waters of Lake Storey, all in the name of Special Olympics.
The teams of divers were jumping into the cold waters to raise money for the Special Olympics program which provides year round sports training to more than 20-thousand statewide children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
(Those who dressed for the occasion, including Galesburg Police Department's Officer Brian Anderson, model their swimwear for the judges before taking their Polar Plunge)
Annette Klinzing, one of the organizer's of this years event, says the group expected to raise more than the 22-thousand dollars the event generated last year, and tells WGIL the plungers have to be dedicated in order to brave the conditions.
Klinzing says, "I think they are very dedicated to the cause of Special Olympics, and to the organization. We have over 23-thousand athletes state-wide that partisipate in Special Olympics that compete. This fundraiser is to provide quality competition for the athletes."
Teams of divers from the Galesburg Police Department, Knox and Monmouth Colleges, and people just out to help Special Olympics, were taking the plunge. The plunge was part of a group of dives that is going on throughout the state over the next few weeks to benefit Special Olympics.
(A Group of divers who took the Polar Pluge at Lake Storey, run out of the lake in order to warm up.)
Klinzing's advice for the plungers yesterday -- just take a deep breath and remember it's going to help more than 600 athletes locally.
For more information, or to register for future Polar Plunge events, click here: www.soill.org
(Pictures and story by Dominic Fortini) |
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| 03 01 09 by Newsroom |
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