Take the Plunge!

What would inspire you to take a swim in the Ohio River in the middle of February? For nearly 1,400 people right here in Louisville, all it took was a chance to raise money for Special Olympics. On February 28, these hardy souls, many of whom participate year after year, took the plunge from the docks at Tumbleweed on the Waterfront. "I just wanted to see what it was like," says Michael Jacobsen, a Trinity junior and third-year jumper. "When we got there we were educated on how Special Olympics helps the community and the participants and that made it all the more worthwhile." So what does it feel like to jump into an icy river? Mallorie Campbell, a senior at Assumption, jumped for the first time in 2008 and again in 2009. "It felt like knives hitting my body when I jumped in," she says. "All I could think about was getting out of the water as fast as possible. It was the coldest, most uncomfortable ... and exhilarating ... feeling ever!" This year's host for the plunge, Tumbleweed on the Waterfront, began promoting the event in November with the sale of a special dessert, The Polar Plunge, in Tumbleweed restaurants throughout Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Since sales of these desserts reached the company's goal of $12,000, the company's CEO Matt Higgins, COO Mike Higgins and Vice President of Operations, Steve Pipkin, along with several general managers and area directors, took the plunge as well! Leigh Ann Burckhardt, Tumbleweed's Marketing and Event Coordinator, says the company was excited about hosting and sponsoring the event for the first time this year. "We thought it was a good opportunity to get involved in something on the waterfront. It's an exciting event and it's a good cause and something we're happy to be involved in." Jacobsen and Campbell were joined by at least 75 other high school students. Groups from Meade County and Pleasure Ridge Park high schools have participated for a number of years, as well as many other groups—businesses, law enforcement and universities—some dressed in costume to make their jumps all the more entertaining for onlookers. Awards were given for the largest groups, top fundraisers and best costumes. All participants received an official Polar Bear Plunge T-shirt and membership in the 2009 Polar Bear Club. Plunge events, held annually in five locations around Kentucky, have raised nearly $3 million for Kentucky's Special Olympics over the last ten years. This year's jumpers in Louisville alone raised over $300,000. All the money raised from the Polar Bear Plunge provides sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Kentucky. Special Olympics is the world's largest program of sports training and competition for children and adults with mental disabilities. Each year, more than 6,000 Kentucky athletes, eight years of age or older, train and compete year-round in Special Olympics' local, area, state and national programs in 15 sports. The 2009 Louisville Polar Bear Plunge was sponsored by Tumbleweed on the Waterfront, WAVE 3, 102.3 The Max, 105.1 WLRS, 99.7 DJX, louisvillemojo.com, The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, CBS Outdoor, Walnut Ridge Pool & Patio, Louisville Metro Government and AAA Travel.