Mike Werner, 44, of Spotsylvania (center) plunged last year in a Nacho Libre costume.

-

Several area residents will take the Polar Plunge on Feb. 2 in Virginia Beach

Date published: 1/20/2008

By Rebecca J. Barnabi

A horn blows and thousands of people run into the freezing Atlantic Ocean in the middle of the winter.

On Feb. 2, 20 area residents will be among the thousands participating in the 16th annual Polar Plunge in Virginia Beach.

"It's really fun. I know it's crazy to imagine us," said Area 11 coordinator Tim Doyle, 48, of Stafford County. "There's 5,000 people and you're about to do something so insane."

The Area 11 team includes residents from Caroline, King George, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and the city of Fredericksburg. So far, Area 11 has raised almost $6,000 for the Special Olympics fundraising event, said Doyle.

Candy Thompson, fundraising chairperson for Area 11, said that 75 percent of the money raised will remain local and 25 percent will go to the state level for Special Olympics. Thompson's husband is taking the plunge with their son, Travis, who participates in Special Olympics.

Doyle and his 17-year-old son, Matthew, will plunge for the second time on Feb. 2.

Doyle, a former Marine, said that the Polar Plunge has almost a Mardi Gras atmosphere, but it's on the beach and for a good cause.

"Our goal obviously as a team is to increase our team size," said Doyle, a production supervisor for a defense contractor in Woodbridge. The more members on the Area 11 team, the more money they can raise for Special Olympics.

According to Doyle, a section of the beach is blocked off specifically for plungers, and medical personnel are always nearby.

"They want to keep you corralled for the actual plunge," said Doyle.

Lisa Gerenser of Fredericksburg said that Doyle asked her daughter, Kara, if she'd like to plunge for the first time this year.

"And she being a thrill-seeker," Gerenser said, "she said yes."

"It just sounds so cool," said Kara, 16, a junior at James Monroe High School. "I want to do it just because a lot of other people wouldn't want to do it." The fact that it's for a good cause is also an incentive for Kara, whose younger sister is in Special Olympics.

Gerenser, whose husband is a retired Marine, said that the team has received a lot of support from Marines and their families.

The Special Olympics Virginia Polar Plunge began in 1993, when Virginia's Adventure Club East was looking for something fun and extreme to do and Special Olympics Virginia was searching for new ways to raise funds. The first plunge raised $8,000 and 34 plungers participated. Last year's Polar Plunge raised $800,000 and more than 3,500 plungers braved the Atlantic Ocean. Awards are given to the plunger who raises the most money, the team that raises the most money and the team with the most plungers. Anyone of any age is permitted to plunge. Plungers under age 18 must have a signed waiver from a parent or guardian. Visit polarplunge.com for more information.

Date published: 1/20/2008