Pre-Registration Directions What to Expect Post Plunge Party School Info Too Chicken?

Wisconsin Rapids Polar Plunge

February 6, 2010

New Location: Grand Rapids Lions Club, 2411 36th St N, Grand Rapids
 

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who helped make this Plunge a success. This year 280 plungers helped raise about $40,000 for Special Olympics!

Photos & Video

• Photos from IPI Wisconsin
• Photos from WGLX
• Photos from the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune
• Video Playlist on YouTube
   

Photo by IPI Wisconsin

2010 Contest Winners

• Best Costume - Don Kempen
• Best Costume Group - Wizard of Oz Fox Valley Torch Run
• Biggest Belly - ODC
• Most Online Pledges - Julie Buerger
• Most Online Team - Cops and Bobbers
• Most Raised Individual - Louie Macha
• Most Raised Team - Cops and Bobbers

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Plunging: Noon - 1:30 p.m.
On-Site Registration: 10 a.m. - Noon
Come for food, souvenirs & more onsite!

Attend a Pre-Registration Event and SAVE TIME!

• Thursday, Feb. 4th from 7 p.m. -11 p.m.
  Graffiti’s Sports Pub, Stevens Point
  

• Friday, Feb. 5th from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
  Grand Rapids Municipal Bldg

If you don’t want to wait in line on the day of the Polar Plunge attend one of the Pre-Registration Events and turn in pledges, sign your Polar Plunge Wavier form, pick up incentive prizes, get your armband (you need this to jump) & reserve your Plunge time.

NOTE: Only one team member needs to attend the Pre-Registration event to check-in your team, but they must bring each team member’s:

1. Registration form (if the individual did not register on-line)
    
2. Pledges separated by team member
    
3. Signed release of liability waiver. Click here to download a waiver (If you have team members under 18, they must have parent/guardian sign this waiver)

New Location & Directions

Map - Grand Rapids Lions Club: 2411 36th St. N, Wisconsin Rapids.

From North: Take 1-39 South to exit 153
& take a right. Follow County B/54
West. Take a left on 48th Ave.
Take a right on CTH W/Kellner Rd.
Lions Club is on left.

From South: Take 13 North to
13/54 East Riverview Expressway
and take a right. The road
turns into CTH W/Kellner Rd.
Lions Club is on the right.

Parking & Shuttles

Plunge Day Shuttles from Graffiti's in Stevens Point to the Plunge site begin at 10 a.m.

Photos

Purchase your Plunge pictures from IPI Wisconsin on site or online (a percentage goes back to Special Olympics)

Plunge Knowledge

The Polar Plunge is a wacky event that is sure to send shivers down your spine whether you participate or watch. The Polar Plunge is open to all ages! Individuals can register to for the event or participants can form Polar Plunge Teams with a group of friends, family members, classmates, co-workers, club members, teammates, etc. Each plunger must raise a minimum of $75 dollars to plunge, and in return you receive a great souvenir shirt. The more you raise both online and otherwise, the more incentives you receive! (see list of incentives here)

How to Register

Click here to register for the Polar Plunge on-line. After you register online, you can:

• Create your own Web page, upload a photo and text message
• Start or join a plunge team
• Collect and track online credit card pledges
• Use e-mail tools to communicate with friends and family (and get more pledges)
• Additional pledge forms can be downloaded

If you choose not to register online, you can download and print a Polar Plunge registration/pledge form (coming soon) and turn it in at one of the Pre-Registration events OR on the day of the event.

Please note: In addition to registering on-line all Plungers will need to “check in” on the day of the event or attend a Pre-Registration Event the week of the Polar Plunge.

What to Expect on Plunge Day

Generally when you arrive onto the site you will be asked to register first, and if for some reason you miss this upon arrival, please find the registration and complete your registration.  There is additional helpful information about the site and the days activities that can be acquired at registration.  Even if you have registered online, you must still check in at registration, receive your incentives and get a plunge time.

After you register, take some time to wander around the site to be familiar with where you enter the “Enter Only Chute” and where you will come out to change and/or go to the hot tubs.  You don’t have to change right away and freeze while you wait for your plunge time.  Please refer to your time and feel free to change 15 minutes leading up to your time.

Please feel free to enjoy the yummy concessions, beverages, music by the Spicy Tie Band and activities while you wait for your turn!  A post party will be onsite after the plunge.

The Site

You will be jumping into a 20 ft wide hole cut out of the ice of Lion's Club Lake.  The water is crystal clear and you can see to the bottom.  You must wear shoes to plunge, this is not only for safety reasons, but we are sure that you don’t want your bear feet to stick to the ice!  The water is chest deep, you don’t have to go all the way under, but for the true experience, submerge! 

Plunging

Wait 5 minutes before your plunge time and enter the “Enter Only Chute” and show your armband for entry.  Your friendly radio personalities from the Big Cheese and WYTE will welcome you at the bottom of the hole to interact with you and ask questions.  There may be a question sheet for you to fill out by your team to hand to them so that they can provide details of how much you raised, etc. We provide tables and buckets for you to put in your towels and personal items in while you plunge.  The buckets will get transported to the other end of the whole to meet you when you get out.  You will be facing the crowd when you plunge, so you are on center stage.  Please NO DIVING head first!  Expect the cold water to take your breath away for a couple of seconds, and your instinct to drive you out of the water fast!  There will be divers in wet suits to help you out of the hole.  It is a little bit of a distance to walk back up the hill and to the heated trailers to change.  Take precaution not to slip going up the stairs to the trailer, use the handrail.  There are hot tubs to enjoy if you choose to savor the wet flavor before you change out of your clothes.

Post Plunge Party

There will be judges deciding the winners of the best costume, biggest belly, etc award categories.  These categories and more will be announced on stage during the post party after the plunging has concluded.  So if you are interested if you have raised the most pledges or had the best costume, stick around after the plunge for the results!

Are you stumped how to raise pledges? 

GET YOUR POLAR BEARS  ICONS NOW!
Businesses sell them for $1 and YOU count them toward your PLEDGES!

Plungers can contact Special Olympics at 715-848-0550 or tpries@specialolympicswisconsin.org and request a Polar Bear Icon Kit which contains paper polar bears which can be sold for $1.00 each at area businesses and count toward your pledges! The paper polar bears are FREE to plungers and come in sets of sets of 25, 50 or 100.  Each plunger is responsible for the coordination of the icon kits at area businesses and collecting the proceeds. The Polar Bear kits provide instructions for you and for business owners of how to participate.

Pre-Plunge Party

Friday, December 11th, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. (For Ages 21+)
Graffiti's Sports Pub - Official Stevens Point information location!
Join us for music, information, specials and fun!  This will be a chance to sign up your team and get more information about the new plunge site.

Safety tips

• Wear Shoes
• No Diving
• Bring a Towel
• Have Fun
• Use Costume Discretion -- this is a family event!

Polar Plunge Contests:

• Biggest Belly
• Most Money Raised--Individual/Group
• Most Money Raised Online
• Most Original Plunge Wear - Individual/Group

For more information contact
Theresa Pries
Phone:(715) 848-0550
E-mail: tpries@specialolympicswisconsin.org
2804 Rib Mountain Drive Suite C
Wausau , WI 54401

2010 Plunge Links

• Register online
• Search for a Plunger to pledge to
• Search for a team
• Update your Web page & view your online pledges