Iona Prep Polar Plunge Ices The Competition In Fundraising Contest

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Iona Prep's polar plunge team not only tested their nerves in the icy waters of the Long Island Sound, but they also managed to outraise all the other "polar bears" in New York.

Iona Prep announced that the "Plungers" won their seventh Cool Private School Challenge in eight years and became the top fundraising team in all of New York State for a fifth time.

Special Olympics NY Senior Director of Development, Kaitlin Rosner, presented the trophy to Iona Prep Junior Ethan Asencio and club moderator Patricia Gray during the Opening Ceremonies of the NYC Region Peter Aquilone Floor Hockey Winter Classic at the Jacob Javits Center on December 3.

The Gaels raised more than $87,500 for the 2022 Westchester Polar Plunge, representing a third of the nearly $270,000 raised at the Westchester Country Club Beach Club in Rye, on November 12.

"At this event, the 2022 Westchester Polar Plunge participants raised over $270,000," Rosner said. "Fundraising remains strong this year, with Iona Preparatory's current total of $87,521 being the highest mark among any team in the state."

Since the Westchester Polar Plunge was founded in 2008, Iona Prep has raised a whopping $354,000, sponsoring hundreds of Special Olympics NY athletes. The Gaels have raised five-figure amounts in eight of their 15 years of participation. Overall, Iona Prep has been the top fundraising private school 10 times, the top Westchester team seven times and the top fundraiser in all of New York State five times.