BY HAILEY MERKT
Twenty-seven uniquely attired Conestoga College thrill-seekers took part in the on-campus Polar Plunge on Feb. 26 in support of the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
Samantha Schwier, this year’s Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) Polar Plunge organizer, said this annual event has been taking place at the college for over 30 years.
Last year $6,500 was raised and there were over 38 jumpers.
This year, the daring divers raised an estimated $5,000 (a final total will be released in mid-March by CSI.
Jessica Froll, a first-year personal support worker student, raised $609 of that $5,000, more than any other polar plunger.
One participant who may not have raised the most money but raised everyone’s eyebrows when taking a dip was Murray Hudon, a second-year respiratory therapy student, who dressed as Miley Cyrus in her infamous Wrecking Ball video.
Both Froll and Hudson received a Boston Pizza gift card and movie passes for two for their ingenuity and accomplishment.
All participants received warm hugs from Cliffy the Condor (Conestoga College’s mascot), warm towels, hot chocolate and steamy soup after making their jumps through -27 C air into an icy pool of water. The temperature was 23 degrees colder than last year.
Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, participated in a polar plunge of his own on March 2, raising proceeds for the Special Olympics Chicago.
This mainly Canadian and American charity event has grown exponentially since its inception over three decades ago.
However, polar plunges have been practised worldwide for decades as a chilling celebration to welcome the new year. They tend to attract thousands of brave individuals who run wildly into bodies of nearly freezing water and fully submerge themselves before running back to the snow-filled land.
Conestoga’s Condors previously performed this event by running into the pond on campus but CSI made the switch to an above ground pool for hygienic reasons.
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