The 2022 Lehigh Valley Polar Plunge was held at Scott Park in Easton Feb. 19 with more than 600 people registered to take the plunge.

The Polar Plunge is a national event and the funds raised support more than 2,700 Special Olympics athletes in this area. Some of the uses for the funds include sports education and sports development programs for students with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.

The plunge was sponsored by Aerotek, Wawa and Amazon. Wawa also provided a food truck, giving out free coffee, hot cocoa, brownies, cookies and soft pretzels.

DJ Joe Franzo, who is also the supervisor for Secondary Autistic Support for Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, kept participants moving before the plunge with a mix of popular music from different decades. A costume contest was held, with $100 prizes for the winners. A costumed Shark, a costumed Polar Bear and the Colonial IU 20 Parent Support T.E.A.M, who wore penguin hats and were joined by their own “Polar bear” were the winners.

Some of the participants also did the Super Plunge. For 24 hours up to the start of the Polar Plunge, the Super Plunge members jumped into a very cold outdoor swimming pool once every hour. The pool was set up in the parking lot of the Grand Eastonian Hotel. If the participants were in a team, not all needed to jump in the pool every hour, but at least one person from the team needed to jump into the pool each hour. There was no minimum or maximum team size. About a half dozen teams participated. To participate in the Super Plunge, participants were asked to raise $500 each.

Jeffrey Kovacs, of Bethlehem, who teaches an IU20 Autistic Support class at Freedom High School said, “I would definitely do it again. It is for a good cause and all the money sponsors different Special Olympics athletes.”

What did the team members do between jumps? “We hung out, ate food, played games and slept when it got later,” Kovacs said.

Diana Ward, of Easton, who teaches special eduction at Freedom High School, said of her participation in the Super Plunge, “I met some incredible people that share a passion for supporting Special Olympics and the athletes. It was cold, but I would do it again in a heartbeat!”

Amanda Seachrist, of Northampton, director of Team Northampton (County Special Olympics) and adaptive physical education teacher for Colonial IU20, also participated in the Super Plunge. She said, “My one jump was freezing! You want to get out right away!”

The Super Plunge participants were the first teams in the water at the Polar Plunge. They were followed by a dozen more groups who raised $50 or more. Some wore costumes, some bathing suits, others wet suits. All were enthusiastic about jumping in the river for the Special Olympics.

Last year’s Polar Plunge was a virtual Polar Pop. Participants popped a water filled balloon over their heads or had a friend or loved one pop the balloon. This year, the virtual pop continues. You can sign up and do the virtual pop through March 31 at https://specialolympicspa.org/lehigh-valley

Donations to the Polar Plunge, no water participation required, can also continue to be made through March, by visiting the link above.