Special Olympics’ 2021 Polar Plunge won’t be a live event this year
VIRGINIA BEACH — Organizers of the annual Polar Plunge have decided to dive in with a virtual event for 2021.
Plunge it Your Way will enable participants to choose how they want to get wet — a dip in a neighbor’s icy cold pool, pouring a bucket of water over their heads, or something else.
“Because 2020 has been so difficult — if you want to kick your feet up and plunge in a hot tub, who are we to judge?” said Sean Wallach, Special Olympics’ Virginia director of marketing and outreach. “Feel free to plunge however you like as long as you fundraise and support the athletes of Special Olympics.”
The week of plunge activities start on Monday, Feb. 1, and will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 6, with an online party. Register at polarplunge.com, create a team and start fundraising (minimum of $100).
The event, which many local enjoy by running into the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach, has been a rallying point at many companies. Virginia Natural Gas employees, for example, have participated in the Polar Plunge for 22 years and raised more than $426,000 to help Special Olympics Virginia.
Emily MacCartney, community affairs coordinator, said the company’s team of 32 employees, friends and family raised just over $30,000 last year in corporate and employee donations.
“Each year we try to do a theme to encourage participation and to have fun,” MacCartney said.
“Last year we went with a penguin theme, but we have done everything from Hawaiian luau, patriotic, ’80s, ’70s, and even a
Superbowl theme. Each year our participation has grown and now it’s just a part of our culture.”
This year’s online event will include a virtual costume contest and top team announcements.
Participants will receive a 2021 Plunge Pack, including a T-shirt, mask and koozie. Additional incentives like towels, hooded sweatshirts, a Hydro Flask water bottles and Yeti coolers can be earned.
Wallach said they exhausted every possibility for the annual event, which raised $1.5 million last year for Special Olympics Virginia at its traditional plunges in Virginia Beach, Prince William County, Fairfax, Richmond and New River Valley.
“That’s a huge part of our operations budget,” Wallach said. “This event is huge for us; we think about it year round. We’re disappointed we can’t all be running together, but we’re trying to make the most of it and still give that experience to our plungers.”
More than 23,000 Special Olympics Virginia athletes rely on the support for sports training, competitions, leadership opportunities and health services.
Last year, $1.3 million was raised in Virginia Beach, which Wallach said was the highest amount to date.
“We’re getting some great feedback from past plungers,” Wallach said. “We need the support now more than ever to make sure these athletes have a playing field to get back to when all of this is over.”