A local winter tradition is coming to a campus near you.
St. Clair College, in cooperation with the Windsor Police and various local law enforcement agencies, has announced the launch of the campaign leading up to the fifth annual Polar Plunge, set to take place outside the SportsPlex on the main Windsor campus on Friday, February 15. The launch took place Friday in the SportsPlex lobby.
Participants gather outdoors in wintry Windsor weather each year to jump into a freezing pool of water, many of them jumping as part of teams representing businesses and agencies in the region.
Once again, the event will benefit the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Over the first four years of the Plunge, more than $185,000 has been raised with every cent going toward the Torch Run. Windsor police Staff Sergeant Jeff Mailloux said they are hoping to eclipse the amount raised locally with the 2018 Plunge.
"Last year we exceeded $52,000 with financial donations and over $60,000 with in-kind donations," said Mailloux. "Our goal for 2019 is to reach $60,000 in financial contributions."
Police Chief Al Frederick, who is expected to take the plunge one last time before he retires from WPS, said he is overwhelmed by the continued support for Special Olympics through the Plunge.
"Part of the mandate of our connection with Special Olympics is the fact that we bring awareness to these wonderful people in our community with intellectual disabilities," said Frederick. "That's what the student body is rallying around and that's what police officers are rallying around."
Frederick said roughly 50 Windsor officers take part in the Plunge each year and he always hopes for more to do so.
The Plunge begins at noon on February 15 with registration opening at 10 a.m. Complete information on registering and donations is available at their official website.
