Fraters Plunge in Frigid Waters for Special Olympics

IOWA CITY, IOWA - Scott McGill stood on the wet beach, clad in swim trunks, a Dracula cape, Viking helmet and vest, and big, blue, funny glasses.

"Are you ready to get in?" he shouted to more than 150 people, many dressed in costume, ready to charge into a cold Coralville Lake.

With a cheer, the local Fox 100.7-FM disc jockey handed the microphone to a nearby person and charged into the 45-degree water, followed by teams from his station and sister station KXIC 800-AM.

The jump into Coralville Lake was part of the Polar Plunge, a fundraiser for Special Olympics Iowa. Also held in towns such as Ames, Dubuque and Council Bluffs, as well as across the country, the Iowa City event raised more than $23,000 from pledges collected by more than 140 people from groups such as the Iowa City Police Department, the Lambda-Eta colony and area businesses.

This was the first year for the Polar Plunge in Iowa City, said Rich Fellingham, president of Special Olympics Iowa.

"This is the most successful first-year plunge we've had," he said. Among those taking the plunge were Sgt. Raquel Wray, who led a team of deputies and workers from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. Clad in an orange jumpsuit and long black curly wig, she pledged to shave her head if she could collect $1,000. She raised $1,264.

"I thought, 'All right, I'll go for it,'" she said. "It wasn't maybe a week or two and I got it. It was worth it."

Matt Boerjan of the North Liberty Fire Department said the department received an anonymous e-mail challenging them to do the plunge. Before taking the dip, he said he did not expect to be affected by the cold water. He had the same attitude afterward.

"We're used to ice rescue training," he said. "It felt great. It wasn't so bad."

Frater Kevin Kotek, 19, a University of Iowa freshman in environmental engineering from Westmond, Ill., was one of 30 Fraters to show up. The group came clad in swim trunks, grass skirts and coconut bras.

"It was itchy standing around all the time," he said. "The water was beautiful. A little chilly, but not too bad, though."

Wray said the polar plunge should be held earlier to make it more polar. However, she said the water was cold enough.

"It was definitely cold," she said. "It made it warmer coming out, though."

Adapted from Iowa City Press-Citizen Online Edition. If you would like to see your chapter news here, contact Communications Coordinator Tom McAninch.