MINNEAPOLIS- Ready. Set. Plunge. The Super Bowl is getting its first taste of one of the coldest charity events in the country. It’s known as a Polar Plunge. People jump into a pool of water or lake that is close to freezing. They do it to help raise money for the Special Olympics, one of the many charities the NFL is paired up with.
Tuesday at Super Bowl Live, they had the first ever Super Bowl Polar Plunge and it did not disappoint.
700 people registered for the charity event that happened right in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They raised more than $200,000 for the Special Olympics of Minnesota. While the water may be cold, the payoff is well worth it, says Ray Kennedy. “Why not? It’s all for Special Olympics. All done for a special cause and it’s my 20th jump.”
Special Olympics of Minnesota CEO and President Dave Dorn says the Polar Plunge has been a big part of their money-raising efforts in the state. “We are one of the states that the Polar Plunge is one of the engines that makes us run. You know in Minnesota, with 10,000 frozen lakes, it’s pretty unique.”
This was just one of twenty-three Polar Plunge events that will happen around the state of Minnesota this year.