Polar Plunge event 'the biggest one yet'

DUMFRIES, VA. -- Maybe the draw was the blue skies and the moderate temperatures after a long snowy month that kept most hunkered down inside their homes.

It certainly was for a good cause.

The eighth annual Polar Plunge at Tim's Rivershore restaurant Saturday afternoon drew record crowds and raised a record amount of money for the Special Olympics of Virginia.

"This is by far our biggest one yet," said Tim Bauckman, owner of the rivershore along the banks of the Potomac River.

More than 200 people showed up to wade, dive, swim and jump into the icy river as part of the Polar Plunge. Each person had to raise at least $100 to participate.

Last year the plunge raised about $31,000 for the Special Olympics. This year, online contributions alone totaled more than $31,000, and that was before any of the participants arrived and handed in additional donations they had raised.

Bauckman said with each passing year more people learn about the plunge and want to participate. The increasing popularity of social networking sites, especially Twitter and Facebook, have done a lot to spread the word, he said.

"This is a great event. It raises money so that more of our athletes, locally and statewide, can participate," said Ray Zeidman, senior vice president for Special Olympics of Virginia.

Since several Special Olympic athletes also participated in the Polar Plunge, the event went far toward the organization's goals of acceptance, equality and inclusion of those who are mentally or physically challenged, Zeidman said.

Long before the 2:30 p.m. plunge, participants and well-wishers headed out to the rivershore.

"People are happy to get outside. It's a nice day," Bauckman said.

There were far more cars than the restaurant's parking lot could handle. People queued up outside the nearby Southbridge community's clubhouse to ride a shuttle bus down Cherry Hill Road to Tim's.

The air temperature was about 45 degrees and the Potomac River was about 38 degrees.

"If you get into water that is 60 degrees, it's cold. It's cold at 50 degrees. If it's 38 degrees, it really is no different," Bauckman said. "Cold is cold. It's going to bite you for a second or two."

And there were plenty of people ready to find out for themselves. They took the plunge as part of a team or individually, and many took the opportunity to express their individuality.

There were "Gilligan's Guppies," dressed as the characters from the 1960s television show and made up of the three Shannon siblings, Colleen, Kelly and Kevin, along with Kevin's fiancée, Jennifer Paschal.

"This is a tradition for us," Colleen Shannon said. "This is a family initiation for Jennifer. They can't get married unless she does the Polar Plunge."

The "Saturday Night Bath" team sported red long johns and shower caps, while the "Physical Therapy Plunger" team raced into the water with their toilet plungers held high.

Then there was team "Bi-Polar Chicks" who likely raised the most money as a group -- $10,000.

The boating club members have participated in the plunge for several years and their most flamboyant member, Scott "Skooter" Franklin, once again showed up as Dame Edna, wearing a purple wig, a one-piece maillot, plenty of jewelry and red painted toenails.

While last year the Bi-Polar Chicks chose to dress as characters of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale, this year they decided to complement Dame Edna, who is mobbed at Polar Plunges by those wanting pictures.

"They felt I needed a security detail," the grand dame said. So, the chicks, wearing white dress shirts and ties did their best to "protect" the most popular "lady" in attendance.

"The water wasn't that bad. It's warmer than last year," Skooter said, pausing briefly before posing for another picture.

Others would disagree, as was evident by the looks on some of their faces as they scrambled to get back out of the frigid Potomac as quickly as possible.

What was also evident on the faces of all: They had a great time.

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.