Monroe County polar bears planning annual Lake Monroe plungeFeel like starting your new year off with a brisk dip into the frigid waters of Lake Monroe?
Plan to join area residents Jan. 1 at the fifth annual Polar Bear Plunge, set to begin at 11 a.m. at the beach behind the Fourwinds Resort & Marina, 9301 S. Fairfax Road.
Organizer Cindy Duffy said she began the annual tradition after being diagnosed with bladder cancer and coming through surgery successfully.
“My daughter and I felt some of that heaviness had passed, and we wanted to do something to signal a fresh start for the year,” she said. “We talked about doing a midnight plunge, but that seemed really cold and depressing. So we decided to do it in the daytime.”
The annual event has drawn anywhere from five to nearly two dozen people, and Duffy said spectators who don’t want to brave the glacial chill can watch from shore and live vicariously. There will be hot chocolate.
She also shared her tips for a proper polar plunge: Beach shoes are a must because the body will adjust, but “your feet get really cold.” A loved one holding a towel on shore is helpful, too.
For more about the event, contact Duffy at 332-1417 or
cindyduffy@gmail.com.
Copyright: HeraldTimesOnline.com 2009
