EDMONTON- On one of the coldest days of the winter so far, 120 people braved the chill to plunge into Lake Summerside raising money for the Special Olympics.
“It’s cold and wet, exactly what I was expecting,” said Jessica Mrazek a conservation officer with Alberta Parks. She was one of 20 law enforcement officers taking the plunge Sunday.
The Polar Plunge has become an annual event in Edmonton raising over $20,000 last year. This year, the event raised $31,000 with nearly double the number of participants willing to jump into the frosty waters.
A small comfort for some of the brave souls this year: the water temperature is actually warmer than the air temperature.
“It’s an amazing idea, for the couple seconds you’re in the water it’s nothing to help out the Special Olympic athletes,” said Cst. Amanda Trenchard. “To see their faces, that just warms my heart when I jump in and I know I’m doing it for such a wonderful reason.”
Money raised goes towards more than 3,000 Special Olympics athletes across the province.
The event heads to Lethbridge next and then Calgary.
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