Warm-Hearted individuals asked to Plunge for Special Olympics Illinois

Be a fan of brrr-avery! Support Special Olympics athletes by jumping into the waters of Lake Michigan at Clark Street Beach in Evanston on Saturday, February 20. The funds raised from the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge® will benefit Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities in Western Cook County and Eastern DuPage Counties.

All Polar Plungers are required to collect a minimum of $100 in donations. Check-in begins at 11:00 a.m. Plunge souvenirs are available for purchase in advance of the Plunges at http://www.shopsoill.org/ or can be purchased on-site at the Plunge location.

People are encouraged to come in costume and to form teams. Each team member must also raise the minimum of $100 in donations; all team members’ individual fundraising totals will be merged to form a combined team total. Statewide, teams are placed into divisions based on size and are awarded prizes for the most money raised. In addition, there is a Cool School Challenge (for junior/senior high schools), Collegiate Cup (for universities and colleges) and a Corporate Challenge (for businesses).

Each Plunger receives an official Polar Plunge sweatshirt. There are also incentive items for raising more money with grand prizes, including a seven night trip for two adults to Riu Palace Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. For every $500 a plunger raises, he/she will get an entry into the drawing for this grand prize.

Plungers can register for the Plunge at www.plungeillinois.com and also create their own fundraising page or can register by contacting Katie Grisham at 630-545-3402. Last-minute Plungers are welcome to register on site the morning of the Plunge.

Thank you to the Statewide Presenting Polar Plunge Sponsor, GEICO.

Evanston Plunge Sponsors include Prairie Moon, Elmer’s Dive Shop, Fox 32 Chicago, Motion Post, Sun-Times, iHeart Media and Coca-Cola.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run is the single largest year-round fund-raising vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. This intrastate relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: to raise money and increase public awareness for the athletes of Special Olympics. Each year, more than 3,000 officers in Illinois run more than 1,500 miles carrying the Flame of Hope through the streets of their hometowns and deliver it to the State Summer Games in Normal in June. Special Olympics Illinois is a year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics programs are now in more than 170 countries with 4.4 million athletes.­