Havre de Grace Police, WXCY Take Polar Bear Plunge 2020

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Officers from Havre de Grace were among the more than 1,100 people who took the annual Polar Bear Plunge Friday in support of the Special Olympics Maryland.

The Havre de Grace team raised more than $8,000 for the Maryland Special Olympics, working with WXCY 103.7 FM.

"We raised $8,554!" Sgt. Dan Petz told Patch Monday. The on-air talent from the Revolution Street-based radio station joined the Havre de Grace Police Department at the park for the event, where they got in the water together; in addition, DJs from WXCY interviewed Special Olympians and asked for donations on the radio.

Country singer Stephanie Quayle called into the WXCY Morning Show with Paula & Blair and donated $2,020 to the team before the plunge.

"We are so lucky to have an extremely supportive community in Havre de Grace," Petz said. "They helped us far exceed our expectations!"

Petz shot live video while taking the Police Polar Bear Plunge and with the camera shaking, he said: "It's cold out here."

The Chesapeake Bay was 44 degrees when the 70 police teams got into the water, according to the Polar Bear Plunge organizers.

Havre de Grace Police Chief Teresa Walter joined several members of the department in getting into the Chesapeake Bay over the weekend at Sandy Point State Park near Annapoli for the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge.

These were the participants on the Havre de Grace/WXCY team: Ken Terry, Tim Hartley, Jonathan Krass, William Sheckels, Mel Adam, Todd Persuhn, Austin Padgett, Alyxis Gosnell, Nico Cokewell, Kyle Petz, Paula Warrington, Blair Thomas, Daniel Petz, Joseph Alton, Teresa Adams, Ashley McRoberts, Tyler Daniel, Phillip Paciocco, Tom DeLucca, Amanda Lynn, Jeffery Cokewell and Jeff Hunt.

The Havre de Grace Police Department is a yearlong supporter of the Special Olympics Maryland. It participates in the Special Olympics Torch Run each year before the Maryland Special Olympics summer games and conducts Cops on the Rooftops fundraisers for the Special Olympics too.