SEASIDE HEIGHTS – It wasn’t the worst day of the winter to run into ice cold ocean water but it clearly gave a chill to around 6,300 people during this year’s Polar Bear Plunge.
The plungers had a reason for freezing and it was to support Special Olympics New Jersey. Whether they wore costumes like Vikings or Leprechauns – or simply bathing suits – when 1 p.m. arrived they ran into the 40-degree water and endured the frigid 32-degree February weather.
Their mission was to raise money for the Special Olympics which suffered a shortfall last year when the event went virtual due to the COVID-19 health crisis.
Heather Anderson, the president and chief executive officer of Special Olympics NJ was on the scene to see the renewed energy of the live event. “It is great to be back in Seaside Heights with our many sponsors and the law enforcement community. It is an army of humanity here that support our athletes.”
She noted that 26,000 young people participate in Special Olympics New Jersey programs and they participate for free. Eighty-two cents of each dollar raised goes directly to those programs for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.”
The effort more than reached its $2 million fundraising goal which aligns with the organization’s new motto of ‘comeback is stronger than the setback.’
Members of the Brick Knights of Columbus enjoyed their foray into the water and even wore matching bathrobes to help them get into the mood before the plunge. The group’s spokesman Joseph Brown said, “our team total was eight and included our Grand Knight Tom Tahaney, Joseph Brown, Chris Donley, Alex Hahn, Matt Napolitano, Andrew Quinn, Brian Jennings, and Sharron Jennings. We’re hoping to include more members next year.”
“We decided to make the plunge only three weeks ago but in those short weeks we raised just over $4,000 which exceeded our original goal of $500. We were new to the scene and didn’t know what to set as our goal,” Brown said,
Brown added, “our members and families have taken us above and beyond. I would like to acknowledge a future member of ours, Payton Bower, an 8-year-old who told his grandparents that he wanted to donate to the plunge on our behalf. That is the kind of future members we can hope for. His father is currently away from his family serving the U.S. Army and the club couldn’t be more proud of the young man that he had raised.”
Nicole Greco of Wayne was excited as she cheered on those heading toward the beach, from the balcony of a town house on Ocean Avenue. “My friends have been coming here for nine years and they finally convinced me to come and plunge. A member of a friend’s family has a disability and is in the Special Olympics.”
“I decided why not? The veterinary emergency group I work for as a veterinary nurse was able to donate. I’m going head under water and plunging as a member of Tenth Avenue Freeze Out. They’ll be 10 of us. I’m excited and this is a great cause,” she added.
One person who didn’t freeze but had past plunge experience was Joe Sarnoski, a retired police captain from Lyndhurst who has been supporting the Special Olympics since 1996. This year he once again donned the white furred costume and full head mask of the event’s mascot, and cheered people on as a polar bear.
“I was a plunger first and when I started helping the Special Olympics, my wife made me a polar bear outfit. I’ve been the mascot since 1999,” Sarnoski added.
