The Rochester Polar Plunge is part of a long tradition of Special Olympic fundraising events held every February at Ontario State Beach in Charlotte. “We do 18 Polar Plunges across the state raising nearly $3 million,” said Renee Snyder, vice president of development at Special Olympics New York. “But Rochester, it’s tried and true.”

This year, Rochester celebrated it’s 25th plunge with some 1,500 participants who took a dip in icy Lake Ontario under cloudy skies and 20-degree conditions. The water temperature was 35 degrees. Each person had to raise a minimum of $100 to participate in the Plunge and the event brought in $350,000 to support Special Olympic New York programming. 

After exiting the water, plungers returned to the Roger Robach Community Center where they were greeted with hot drinks and donut holes.