A reason to get cold and wet
DEVIN HEILMAN/Press Brave souls Saturday scurry into the cold springtime waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene during the Special Olympics' 12th annual Penguin Plunge at City Beach.
DEVIN HEILMAN/Press Penguin Plunge cheerleader Jann Kinnard and her son, Special Olympics athlete Jim, visit with friends Saturday during the 12th annual Penguin Plunge. The fundraiser helps support the nonprofit so its athletes can participate in events throughout the year.
DEVIN HEILMAN/Press Zane Pomerantz, 13, right, of Coeur d’Alene, springs out of Lake Coeur d’Alene with 12-year-old twin brothers Frey, center, and Ashton, left, as mom Kirsten reacts to the chilly temperatures. The family joined about 10 others who jumped in Saturday during the Penguin Plunge.
COEUR d’ALENE — Although Ryan Sullivan wasn't too excited about the freezin' part, he smiled about the reason he was going to jump into the lake on Saturday.
"The Penguin Plunge is the biggest in town," the Special Olympian said, grinning. "I like it."
The Special Olympics’ 12th annual Freezin' for a Reason Penguin Plunge drew a small crowd to Coeur d'Alene City Beach as brave souls tip-toed and splashed into the roughly 40-degree waters.
Kirsten Pomerantz of Coeur d'Alene plunged with her three boys, twins Ashton and Frey, 12, and Zane, 13.
"Their aunt, my sister, is a Special Olympian in Pennsylvania," Kirsten said. "We're jumping for her. And we've never done the Penguin or the Polar Bear (plunge)."
"It's cold," Zane said after getting out. "Actually, now I'm warm. Compared to the water, everything's warm."
The plunge serves as an annual fundraiser for Special Olympics Idaho, which provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for special needs athletes at no cost to the participants.
Jeff Kinnard said his son, Special Olympian Jim, nominates him to be his Penguin Plunger every year. This was Jeff's third time plunging for the cause.
"There’s usually a couple Special Olympic athletes that jump in with me, so that’s always really fun,” he said. "It’s just a fun event to celebrate the athletes and support them."
Jeff and other plungers remarked that this year was warmer than it has been in the past.
"I'm just glad we didn't have to cut a hole in the ice," Jeff said with a chuckle.
Local Special Olympics program coordinator Jennifer Ford said the Freezin' for a Reason Penguin Plunge is just a fun way to raise awareness and support for the program and its 200 or so athletes. Her goal was to raise $2,000 from plunge pledges and donations, and she said 75 percent of the event proceeds would stay in the area.
“We rely on community support. I don’t think people realize, but it costs us about $35,000 a year to run," she said. "We go to state games three times a year and we have five area games that we have to support. When we go to state this summer, it will cost about $10,000.”
For information or to donate to Special Olympics Idaho, contact Ford at specialolympicseagles@gmail.com or visit www.idso.org.