While many wouldn’t dream of getting anywhere near water during the cold of the winter months, a small group of people decided that the discomfort of the plunge was worth it if it meant helping out a worthy cause, like the Special Olympics.

Still, despite the cold water and bitter cold of the winter air, the 2019 Polar Plunge, held Saturday, Feb. 9th in Cravath Park, drew in loads of spectators, and a combination of 300 veteran and first-time plungers.

And the success and turnout of the event was all despite the fact that the idea of jumping into cold water can be pretty daunting, especially for those who’ve never done it before: like UW-Whitewater sophomore Jessica Keller.

Keller, who was part of the Campus Safety Office  team, admitted to being a little hesitant to do her first jump at this year’s event, but it was the team aspect that helped her to pull through and complete the jump despite her fear.

“I was watching the pool last night and it was freezing over, and I just kind of was like, well I don’t want to,” said Keller.  “And then I was like, well, I can’t back out on the trio.”

And not only did the event bring teams closer together, it brought the entire community together, even in the tough conditions, both above and below the surface of the water.

“I think it’s great with everyone coming out here in this weather,” said Keri Krevise from Cudahy, Wisconsin, who was working one of the raffle booths that helped to raise money for the SO organization. “And it’s all here to support a great cause!”