It didn't take long for first-year host Lee's Ford Resort to put it's stamp on the Lake Cumberland Polar Bear Plunge. In its first year at the Nancy, Kentucky, location, the Plunge became a true weekend-ling event with a Friday night pre-registration and a Post-Plunge Celebration that lasted well into Saturday night.
Most importantly, the Lake Cumberland Plunge was once again a huge success with more than 85 Plungers making the leap into Lake Cumberland while raising more than $32,000 to support Special Olympics athletes in Kentucky.
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Eleven-year-old Matt Esau took the
Polar Bear thing literally when he
came up with his costume. |
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The Lake Cumberland Plunge did run into a problem it had never encountered in its previous three years — ice. Blessed with terrific weather in its traditional slot in of the last weekend in February, for the first time the Lake Cumberland Plunge encountered a cold snap which left a thin sheet of ice on the top of the water. Once the ice cleared, however, the chill didn't seem to deter any of the Plungers.
The Lake Cumberland Plunge is unique among the five Polar Bear Plunges held in Kentucky as it has truly become a Lake-wide event drawing many people who boat on the lake throughout the summer back to the region just to take the Plunge. Tow of the groups who participated in large numbers were Lake Cumberland on-line communities. The largest group was from LakeCumberland.com. LakeCumberland.com users raised an amazing $15,962.00, or an average of more than $1,000 for each of the 15 members who jumped. The turnout allowed LakeCumberland.com to claim the Polar Cup for the largest Corporate or Civic Group.
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2007 Polar Bear Plunge King Rodney Henry and
Queen Lena Visser celebrate their awards at the
Post-Plunge Bash. |
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The LakeCumberland.com group also produced both the Polar Bear Plunge King and Queen (top male and female fundraisers, Rodney Henry raised $3,945 to claim King honors, the second time he has won the award. Eleven-year-old Lena Visser was named Queen of the Plunge after raising $770. She became the youngest queen in the history of Polar Bear Plunges in Kentucky.
LakeCumberland.com members captured two more awards during the day. Bill Gourley was the event's Oldest Plunger. Gourley, 61, raised $675 to take the Plunge. Another group from LakeCumberland.com took the costume contest dressed as people in showers.
Only two 2007 Plunge awards ended up out of the On-Line community's reach. The Polar Cup for the largest school group went to Laurel Springs. Laurel Springs brought seven Polar Bears who raised more than $1,794. and the Youngest Plunger was seven-year-old Logan Gadberry of The Berry Bunch team. Logan raised $110 for this year's Plunge.
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The Shower Girls (left to right) Amy Nichter,
NorMae Addington and Darla Weber took the top
prize in the costume contest |
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In a first for the Lake Cumberland Plunge, the action didn't stop once the last Polar Bear was dry and Warm. This year the people at Lee's Ford put on a Post Plunge Party on Saturday night that many of the Polar Bears stayed on site for. Sponsored by Lee's Ford and featuring live music by Velveeta Jones, the party was a huge success, raising an additional $1,100 for the Plunge.
The success of the Lake Cumberland Plunge was the result of a tremendous commitment the local committee, led by Rodney Henry, made to promote and expand the Plunge, we are deeply grateful to them. It was also helped along by so many great sponsors who chipped in — Lee's Ford Resort and The Harbor Restaurant which proved tremendous hosts in their first year with the Plunge; Fruit of the Loom, which donated all the t-shirts for the Polar Bears; AAA Kentucky, which provided a Caribbean Cruise for one Polar Bear from the five Kentucky events; The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run; The Commonwealth-Journal; New Wave Communications; Coca-Cola, Wellspring Massage Therapy and Day Spa, Blue Grass Cellular, Rick's Cars, Etc.; Monticello Bank; Marine Assist Association; Franklin Chevrolet-Pontiac-GMC; Home Town Talk WSFC, World Class Talk 910 WSFE, K93 Country WSEK, Lake 102.3, and Q97 Classic Hits.
The Lake Cumberland Plunge was one of five Polar Bear Plunges in Kentucky in 2007, and helped this Polar Bear Plunge season set another fundraising record for the state. Plunges in Lake Cumberland, Lexington, Louisville, Newport and Owensboro combined to see more than 2,100 people jump in pools, lakes or rivers to raise nearly $475,000 for Special Olympics programs.
Look for information on the 2008 Annual Lake Cumberland Polar Bear Plunge, returning to Lee's Ford Resort in February 2008. For information about how to get involved as a sponsor, participant or Plunge team leader, contact Courtney Sullivan-Staples in the Special Olympics Kentucky Office at 800-633-7403 or via e-mail at csullivan-staples.
King of the Plunge — Rodney Henry, LakeCumberland.com; $3,945 raised
Queen of the Plunge — Lena VIsser , LakeCumberland.com; $770 raised
Polar Cup Corporate/Civic Division — LakeCumberland.com; 15 members, $15,962 raised
Polar Cup School Division — Laurel Springs; 7 members, $1,794 raised
Oldest Plunger —Bill Gourley (61)
Youngest Polar Bear — Logan Gadberry (7)
Costume Contest Winners — Shower GIrles (NorMae Addington, Darla Weber, et al.)
