We said we wouldn’t let a blizzard stop us – and you proved us right. Last Saturday, nearly 200 brave plungers turned out at National Harbor to join our 2016 “Keep Winter Cold” Polar Bear Plunge, jumping into the (literally) freezing Potomac River to fight climate change.
We all had a blast and it was all for a very good cause: We’ve raised $81,995 and counting to support our work to move DC, Maryland, and Virginia off of dirty fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions. That’s pretty impressive – especially given the hiccup in our plans thanks to “Snowzilla.” For the first time in the history of CCAN’s Plunge, we were forced to postpone by a week due to extreme weather.
You can still help us reach our goal of raising $90,000. Go to www.keepwintercold.org and donate to your favorite plunger!
Without further ado, here are some of my favorite highlights from the day – check out more photos here:
1. The costumes!! There were some creative get-ups, but one of my favorites was from Lori Hill (veteran plunger and green living expert), who dressed up like an oil slick.
2. We had some amazing “plungers” address the crowd – including a heartfelt tribute to a fallen plunger and inspiring words from 13-year-old Audrey, who used this year’s plunge as her mitzvah project for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah.
3. We had to break through the ice AGAIN. For the second time in the Polar Bear Plunge’s history, CCAN staff donned wetsuits to break through a layer of ice on the Potomac so we could take our dip. Thanks Jon and Brooke!
We thank all of our plungers for your energy, your activism, your fundraising and your bravery. Your fundraising will provide a critical boost to our work – it’s nearly the equivalent of funding two full-time CCAN organizers!
Big thank you to our sponsors and prize donations for the plunge: MLJ Event Management, Perfect Settings, Zeke’s Coffee, Waste Neutral, Baklava Couture, Blue Planet Scuba, Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar, The North Face, Port City Brewery, Patagonia, The Pub and the People, Commissary, the pig, Redstone American Grill.
Don’t miss out on the ice-cold fun next time around – please mark your calendars for next January’s plunge!
Warmly (now) –
Kirsten
