(Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Alberta on Facebook)

By Justin Goulet

2021 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Alberta goes virtual

Jan 11, 2021 | 11:34 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – On a more normal year, Albertans would be getting ready to take a plunge into cold water as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Alberta.

Due to COVID-19 though, the event will operate a bit more differently this year.

The 10^th annual plunge is going virtual, raising funds for Special Olympics Alberta.

“Given the current situation, all of our in-person programs have had to be suspended, so we’ve been providing virtual programming through Special Olympics that allow the athletes to still have some fitness sessions, [and] some mindfulness sessions…and keep them really active at home,” said Lorrie Sittler, director of business development at Special Olympics Alberta.

“This year, the Polar Plunge funds will definitely be going toward supporting those athletes and that program.”

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The Polar Plunge season launches January 31, with a virtual ceremony to be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

In years past, the first plunge would take place in Edmonton the last weekend of January before wrapping up with the final event in Medicine Hat in March.

Although attendees won’t be able to gather together, Sittler said there are some pros to going virtual.

“The good part of it going virtual this year is that anybody can participate,” Sittler said.

“Typically, we had it at the five locations across the province, so people would come that day [of the plunge]. This kind of opens it up to allow people from all over the province to participate and they get to do it their way.”

She said participants can do snow angels in their backyard, or event hop into a kiddie pool at their home.

“We’ve opened it up [so] that you get to create your own way of doing the plunge and when you do that, if you put it on your social media and tag us, we’ll be promoting that out on our social media as well,” Sittler remarked.

She added anyone who wants can have their video posted to the event’s website as well.

Registration is open now, and $25 of the $50 registration fee is a tax receipt donation for participants. Those who sign up will also get a Polar Plunge face mask, a $5 Tim Hortons gift card and a small gift from Sentinel Storage.

There are other prizes plungers could receive, based on what they fundraise for the event. They include a Polar Plunge towel and a bath robe. Mr. Lube has also donated numerous prizes to the initiative.

Videos can be submitted now and up until March 13, 2021. More details on this year’s Polar Plunge, including a link to register, can be found here.

“We’re just really hoping to get as many people out this year since anybody can do it at any time. I know lots of people are busy on the actual days, so this kind of opens it up,” Sittler said.

“Our athletes really need peoples’ support right now, just as I’m sure everybody does, but you know, it’s just something a little good that we can focus on for a little bit.”

In 2020, 590 plunge participants raised $197,000.