By Natasha Kaiser

Ontario Beach Park was blanketed with a fresh batch of snow, the winter storm from the past week barely letting up. The skies were overcast as it continued to softly snow and the biting gusts of wind helped set the scene for the 25th annual Polar Plunge.

The cleanup crews started at around 7 am, with plows to clear the snow and break the ice arriving around 8:30 am. Covered in a thick sheet of ice and snow, the multi-hour cleanup on the shore and water of Lake Ontario was a sight to behold. A small but mighty crew, who also helped to maintain the park outside of just the Polar Plunge, worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth entrance and exit for the plungers.

Started in 2001, the Rochester, NY Polar Plunge has grown to become the largest Polar Plunge in the state of New York. The event has raised millions of dollars since its inception and continues to help support local Special Olympics Programs.

“It’s a near and dear organization that’s close to my heart,” says Elizabeth Smith, a Polar Plunge veteran of 10 years. Smith has a family member who competes as a Special Olympics athlete for Canada and makes sure to attend and help out every year.

In the hours leading up to the plunge, the morning consisted of elaborate costumes, a tent party with dance music, and lots of excitement. From hotdogs and cowboys to swimsuits and underwear, the variety of outfits on the plungers were plentiful. A backdrop was set up for photos, a DJ was playing pop hits in the large tent attached to the main building, and the growing anticipation could be felt.

Before the plunge kicked off, an opening ceremony was held in the tent to acknowledge the participants, Special Olympic athletes, volunteers, sponsors, and fundraising efforts of the Polar Plunge.

Emily Brushafer, who raised over 20,000 dollars for Special Olympics and was the highest-grossing participant, is participating in the Polar Plunge for her 7th year. When asked why she keeps coming back to plunge, she says, “To help athletes like me to do the sports that we love.” Brushafer is a Special Olympics athlete who competes in a variety of sports, including swimming, unified softball, and unified cornhole.

The crowd started small but grew significantly before the 12 o’clock start time, with hundreds of participants storming Ontario Beach Park for the chilly thrill of the plunge. Even with the blistering cold and a wind chill temperature of -2 degrees, plungers were vibrating with excitement to enter the freezing water to show their support for Special Olympics.

Brenda Frankenberger, who is in her 10th year of doing the plunge, was dressed up in a costume and holding a “helper heroes” sign. She explains that last year she went up to her neck, but she wasn’t too sure about that this year because of the bitter temperature. With the bone-chilling temperatures, many participants felt nervous but excited to enter the water.  “It is cold, but we’re freezing for a reason!” said Frankenberger.

The plunge was headed by Emily Brushafer and Captain Sam Lucyshyn of the Rochester Police Department, who held the torch from the tent to the lake, smiling as they dipped into the freezing waters.

Hundreds of plungers followed. Expressions ranged from smiles to grimaces and shouts of how cold the water felt. Standing by were safety personnel ready at any moment to assist plungers, but as Howard Villegas, Lt. Public Information Officer for the Rochester Fire Department, says, “Everything went incredibly.”

As the plungers exited the waters, the event began to wind down. Participants toweled off, left the beach, and excited chatter about the event filled the foyer of the Roger Robach Community Center as the plungers departed the event.

Volunteers began to break down the event spaces, and the Ontario Beach Park resumed its normal routine. The excitement had worn off, but the chill lingered.