HOW DO you and your loved ones bring in the new year? Do you take time to reflect, journal, and perhaps write new goals? Do you pray and worship? How about throwing a party? Do you and your family make a bunch of festive food? Do you hit bars and spend your time dancing the night away? What about sitting around a table playing board games or telling old stories until the ball drops? We can tell you how some of the COOLEST people in the area bring in the new year.
Whether as a dare, as a fundraiser, to celebrate the end of a race, or just for a good laugh, hundreds of brave souls across the region participate in what is called a Polar Plunge. A Polar Plunge is a jump, run, dash, or tiptoe into a body of water. The only catch that these dips into the water are in the middle of winter! So participants who enter the body of water do so despite its low temperatures. They fully submerge themselves in ice-cold, bone-chilling water and come up breathless from its sting. Talk about feeling alive!
Over the years, a few local groups in our area have participated in this madness. Twin Creeks Marina hosts a Polar Plunge 5K where participants run 3.1 miles and, if they are brave enough, end the race with a quick and not-so-easy dip into Tims Ford Lake.
Another group known to kick off the new year with this same chilling thrill can be found across the lake as the crow flies. Last year, Tims Ford State Park rangers and staff hosted a Polar Plunge to act as a small fundraiser for their honeybee initiative. The Plunge raised enough money to cover the cost of the hives, plus it gave 12 participants a memory of a lifetime. Friends of Tims Ford State Park has organized another Polar Plunge at Lakeview Marina on the park property this year.
Additionally, many friend groups and family members have jumped on the bandwagon and decided to do their own sort of Polar Plunge. folks decide to raid nearby rivers, ponds, or even backyard swimming pools, we hope you kickstart 2023 in the best way possible for you and your family. And if you decide to take a dip, slip, or accidentally trip into ice-cold water, we hope you stay safe while making your favorite memories! Cheers to 2023! GN
