The Polar Plunge

 For my first service project as a member of the Inver Grove Heights Royalty, I chose to participate in the Polar Plunge on February 9, 2013. I organized a team of present and past Inver Grove Heights Royalty to take the plunge with me.  The Polar Plunge is an event to benefit the Special Olympics of Minnesota. Since my cousin has downs syndrome I knew this would be the perfect opportunity. When I registered I set a goal of raising $400.   At that point, I thought it was pretty far-fetched, but I thought I might as well go big or go home. I asked all of my friends and family for donations. I raised a total of $666! I even got a $100 donation from my aunt. As a team, we raised almost $1,500!! The day of the plunge I was very nervous and so was everyone else in my group. We ran down the hill to line up for jumping. When it was our turn, we ran under the giant blow up polar bear and up to the edge of the lake; then we heard it – “3…2…1…JUMP!” We leaped into the FREEZING water!!!  We scrambled to get out of the water and sprint up the hill to the hot tub, all the while screaming our heads off.  We stayed in the hot tub for at least 5 minutes trying to warm up, and all agreed that we wanted to do it again – just not that day!  We got out of the hot tub and scurried into the insulated tent to change out of our soaked clothes.  By the time we got out of the tent, our hair was instantly frozen. We met up with our parents, and our first question was, “Can we get Caribou?”

This was my first time doing the Polar Plunge, and once you start it, you’re hooked for life!!  I can’t wait to do it again next year and I strongly recommend that you do too!

 Olivia Swenson

 2013 Inver Grove Heights Junior Miss