CDA welcomes New Year with Polar Plunge

Powell River’s annual polar bear swim is in new paws this year as Pow!Town Roller Derby take charge of rolling out the fun New Year’s dip.

For first-time participants Romain Aldeghi of Belgium and Pietro Agugini of Italy, the chilly water caught up to them about halfway through.

The event, run by Old Guys in Action, benefits the SA (Servants Anonymous) Foundation, which works to respond and create recovery projects for those who have faced sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Simon said the benefit plunge raised $5,000, about double what it took in the first year.

Reporter Katie Burley spoke with five of the courageous souls who got in on the action this year.

“I’ve looked at people doing this and I’m like, they’re insane, but one day, I figured you know what, why not do it”. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Port Alberni’s will start at noon sharp on January 1.

The Pink Ladies: Karen Iversen, Kelly English, Alison Lewis and Natasha Tuck.

Linda Moore of University Place said she has jumped every year since 1984 as “kind of like a self-baptism”.

“I’m a swimmer for Chico High and I’m used to the water, but this is nothing like it”, Dylan Beadle said.

Even if you don’t want to jump into the frigid waters of the Alberni Inlet, Douglas says that there’s plenty to see and do.

The Polar Bear Plunge has been happening in Coeur d’Alene for more than 35 years and it certainly seems to draw quite the crowd.

“It’s our New Year’s tradition and my granddaughter did it for the first time”, Bricker said with a beaming smile. She continued. “A lot of people do it that way”.

He said he expects his body will be speaking to him after his dip. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be, but it was cold”.

“It was a little cold this year”, he said, chuckling. Malowney, who has swam or attended every swim, said there was ice on the water that year. The family has participated in the South Padre Island Polar Dip for the past five years, making it their yearly tradition.

Chico This year’s Polar Bear Swim at Sycamore Pool certainly delivered on the polar part – at 34 degrees, the water temperature was the coldest in 25 years. Hansen jumped into the bay wearing a suit jacket with a message that said, “Happy New Year”.

This year’s song was “You Sexy Thing” by the band Hot Chocolate. They could also donate or raise sponsorships of $50, which got them a commemorative Polar Bear Plunge towel.