Things just got warmer for Special Olympics Ontario after people went "freezin' for a reason" this winter.
The organizing committee for this year's Polar Plunge at Windsor's St. Clair College dropped off a $46,000 cheque for the Special Olympics Ontario Law Enforcement Torch Run at the Windsor Police Services board meeting Thursday. The plunge took place on February 15 outside the SportsPlex on the college's main Windsor campus.
Organizers said 172 people defied the cold air and jumped into a freezing cold swimming pool, all in the name of raising money for the torch run. Participants included officers from Windsor Police Service, LaSalle Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, St. Clair College students and faculty, and others.
Windsor police say Deputy Chief Brad Hill and Inspector Jason Bellaire were among the top fundraisers for the plunge this year. Many members of the police auxiliary and newly-hired cadets also jumped.
The money was raised through participant registration, sponsor contributions and pledges. Over the five-year history of the Windsor-Essex version of the event, a sun of more than $230,000 has been raised.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest fundraising entity for Special Olympics in Canada, where numerous events like the Polar Plunge are held nationwide. Law enforcement personnel participate in a torch relay before Special Olympics competitions.
For complete information about the Polar Plunge or the Law Enforcement Torch Run, visit their official websites.
The 5th Annual Windsor-Essex Polar Plunge, St. Clair College, Windsor, February 15, 2019. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
