Once again, Law Enforcement Torch Run® hosted a Polar Plunge at NARA Park in support of Special Olympics Massachusetts. The annual fundraiser supports educational and leadership opportunities for the organization, which aims to make the world more inclusive by providing year round sports training, competition, and recreational activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The plunge at NARA is one of 60 events across the state held from October through early May. Forty participants registered as individuals and teams, including the Acton Lions/Keith Karkane Memorial team, Infant Toddler Children’s Center, Conant Elementary School, Belmont High School, Concord Police, and more.
Like many other such events this season, the event in Acton was rescheduled due to extreme cold and snow last month. On Saturday, Feb. 21, there was a covering of a few inches that had fallen the night before. Acton Police Detective Jon Stackhouse, a devoted supporter of Special Olympics, cleared the parking lot of several inches of snow for participants and to make room for the Bear Force One mobile plunge pool.
Participants raised more than $6,000 towards the Special Olympics’ $1.5M fundraising goal for this year. Conant Elementary School swept the awards, winning Top Fundraising Individual, Top Fundraising Team, and Best Costume. The Conant team raised an impressive $1000, and were sporting Hawaiian themed attire.
Stephanie Esposito, Special Olympics of Massachusetts’ fundraising event coordinator, offered some safety tips before participants took their plunges. The plunge pool measures 4 feet in depth, so diving is prohibited. Boloyan assured the shivering teams, “We love cannonballs. A belly flop is good. Or you can fall backwards. Just no diving or pencils. You don’t want to hit the bottom of the pool.” A safety team was at the ready, one man in the pool, outfitted in a full wetsuit, hood and boots, one at the entrance and one at the pool exit to ensure plungers had all the support they needed to succeed.
The youngest plunger was 7-year-old Nagog Woods resident Hugh Merrill, who plunged with his father, Jacob. After drying off and getting back into his winter coat, Hugh shared his motivation for participating from a perch on dad’s shoulders. “I just wanted to give it a try. I wanted to see what it would be like. I didn’t think it would be that cold.” When asked if he knew the water temperature, he guessed, “47 degrees?” No, Hugh, it was 29 degrees. The father/son team raised $40 for the Special Olympics.
Alissa Nicol is a member of the Acton Select Board, and writes about community events for the Acton Exchange.
