Polar Plunge at Centralia High School should reach $10,000 goal

The first Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics is expected to top its $10,000 goal.

Centralia High School Community Resource Officer Mickey Jader is pleased with the event and the number taking a plunge into the pool set up in the parking lot.

“A lot better than I anticipated.  The fundraiser started slow and then we got hot and somehow got over our goal of $10,000 when we were stuck below $1000 for a little while.  Attendance was great, weather was perfect with the rain yesterday and again tomorrow so just a little bit of Midwest wind and 40 degree weather is more than fine.  Everyone is pretty optimistic and happy.  The food was great…and I think it was a great bonding moment for the community.”

Jader says Mayor Bryan Kuder led the plungers followed by a number of Centralia and State Police officers.   Ten Centralia High Students along with one teacher and the entire 16 members of the Raccoon School volleyball team also took the plunge.

“Cold, shivering and get me out of here.  I think happy they did it.  There were a couple of crazy high schooler’s that wanted to go again.  Be my guest.”

Jader had ice ready to chill the water, but says the cold windy day made that unnecessary.   Each of those plunging made a $100 donation or had money donated to them in order to make the plunge.

He notes a craft fair and the sale of bottles of Ski that the bottling company donated added to the fund raising total along with online donations from a number of Centralia area businesses.

It’s not too late to add to the total.  You can donated money by following this link:  https://soill.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&teamID=13351

Jader is already thinking about next year’s event.  He says it will be back with some tweaks to hopefully make it even better along with a bigger fundraising goal.