Individuals from the obviously frigid Maine all the way to the decidedly not so chilly Hawaii take a dip in the water in the months of December through March to help their police departments help the athletes who compete in Special Olympics. Okay, so it may seem like taking the plunge in the tropics is a bit of a cop out, but not so. In Kapolei, Hawaii, they add 15 tons of ice to the water in their plunge pool to get it down to the requisite 30 degrees.
The first plunge at Sandy Point took place in 1997; 14 years ago. In that time, it's garnered $16.1 million in pledges. That's certainly nothing to shiver at. The first event raised just $75,000, while the last one raised $3.5 million. It's been expanded to two days and numerous plunge times to accommodate the ever growing crowd. Today is known as Frigid Friday and is special just for school teams, over 20 of whom participated last year. People who've participated in all 14 plunges and plan to come to this year's are appropriately known as "streakers."
To get you – and me – prepared to plunge, think about some of the benefits that it can bring to your health:
• Shivering is a great way to burn calories.
• A sudden shock of cold can make you more mentally aware and focused.
• Frost can keep your skin looking firmer and younger.
• Helping others can greatly improve your mood.
- r
So put on your swimsuit and bundle up. I'll see ya at the beach! Bring $3,500 and get that luxury bath robe.