Each year thousands brave the frigid temperatures and participate in Long Island's polar bear plunges.

News

LONG ISLAND POLAR BEAR PLUNGERS

Joan Tulp came dressed to impress in a mink fur and tiara before slowly walking into the 40-degree Atlantic Ocean. 
Tulp, 85, was one of nearly 300 participants in the 14th annual Polar Bear Plunge at Main Beach in East Hampton on New Year’s Day, and took it all in stride. 
“I feel good,” she said. 
The plunge benefited the East Hampton Food Pantry. Tulp knew she wanted to participate after seeing firsthand the many families that come to the pantry in need of food donations. 
“There are not-so-rich people here in the Hamptons,” explained Tulp, who plunged for the third time at the event. “Most people would never believe it.” 
The event was hosted by the YMCA East Hampton Hurricanes swim club and the East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue Squad. According to East Hampton Food Pantry executive director Gabrielle Scarpaci, the pantry fed more than 31,000 people in 2014. 
The annual polar plunge began as a dare, with the swim team daring the swim coaches to plunge into the ocean. 
“It is amazing what a dare has turned into,” said East Hampton YMCA Hurricanes head coach Tom Cohill, 38. “Little kids as young as 6 come out here with their parents.” 
Added East Hampton Town's chief lifeguard, John Ryan Jr.: “We have had miserable weather days and the people still come. The first year, only around 15 people and the second year, around 50 and it keeps growing and growing.” 
To make a donation, visit <a href="http://easthamptonfoodpantry.org">easthamptonfoodpantry.org</a>.

Long Island

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Annual East Hampton polar plunge started as a 'dare'

Joan Tulp

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Aimee Sumereau thought the punishing wind was the worst part -- until she got in the water.
Sumereau, 55, was among several hundred otherwise sane souls who dipped into the frigid waters of Northport Bay on New Year's Day as part of an annual fundraising plunge.
"I wanted to do something crazy," she explained, shivering as she pulled a bright orange towel around herself. "I was crying when I came out. I think that was the coldest I've ever been in my life."
The event, now in its sixth year, was sponsored by Northport's Boy Scout Troop 410 and the Northport Fire Department Smokeaters as a fundraiser for the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry in Northport.
Jim King, 61, of Manhasset trudged up Steers Beach to a warming tent, clad in a bathrobe and clutching a towel to his chest after his dip. He proclaimed the experience -- with perhaps some understatement -- "a little chilly."
"My feet are numb," he noted.
As it turns out, the feet are the Achilles heel, so to speak, of determined polar plungers. "You feel the cold most in your feet," said Joe Aiello, scoutmaster for the Boy Scout troop.
Aiello should know. He's been doing the polar plunge every year since it began, albeit reluctantly.
"It takes about a year to forget," he said. "The more I think about it, the less I want to do it."
There's a protocol for how the plunge progresses: The bravest, who range in age from 8 to their 80s, amass at the water's edge before running into the bay at noon with whoops, hollers and even a few choice words that can't be printed in a newspaper.
"On average, we're in there about eight seconds," Aiello said. "It's like a rodeo ride."
Dan Stebbins, 18, of Greenlawn did the plunge along with more than half a dozen of his family members -- including his 70-year-old grandfather, Joseph Bosch.
"It was on my grandpa's bucket list," Stebbins explained, adding that the rest of the family decided to join him in support.
Bosch said he decided to do the plunge after years of watching the swimmers at Coney Island's New Year's Day event on television.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought," he said of the dip. "It was worse changing clothes" outside.
And now? "It's off my list," Bosch said.

Suffolk

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Embracing the cold on New Year's Day is a snap for these Northport swimmers

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Gary Glanz of Sag Harbor is no stranger to polar plunges. Glanz, 61, took his first icy plunge with a group of friends in 1970, when he was a junior at Southampton High School. 
“We went swimming on Christmas Day,” Glanz said. “At first, it was just for attention, we wanted our pictures in the yearbook. But we came back and did it again senior year, and it was something that caught on for us.” 
In 2003, Glanz took the idea of a polar plunge to the Human Resources of the Hamptons, a nonprofit that provides food, clothing and emergency services to those in need in Southampton. With Glanz at the helm of the event, HRH’s first annual polar plunge at Coopers Beach raised about $50,000. 
“I saw people doing things like this to raise money in Maryland and in Minnesota, where the water can be so much colder,” Glanz said. “I knew we could do a plunge, and I knew we would be successful.” 
On Saturday morning, the plunge celebrated its 11th year, attracting hundreds of participants willing to take a quick dip in the cold water. For a few hours, Coopers Beach was filled with plungers of all ages, wrapped in blankets and towels trying to stay warm. Some, such as Southampton Mayor Mark Epley and his family, even dressed in costume. 
“We do group costumes every year, we try to get creative,” said Epley, who was dressed as the Tin Man to match his family’s Wizard of Oz theme. “Last year we dressed up as members of the band Kiss.” 
With the air temperature hovering at about 39 degrees, and the water at a warmer 47, it was colder getting out of the water for some than it was getting in. 
“I didn’t mind it so much running in there,” said plunger Judith Pfister, 55, of Southampton, as she stood on the shore soaking wet. “But now that I’m out in the air, I’m freezing!” 
But for Jimmy Mack, a dedicated plunger who attends the event every year dressed head-to-toe as a mermaid, this plunge was smooth sailing. 
“It snowed last year, and we still went in,” Mack said. “It was actually surprisingly nice this time.” 
According to HRH executive director Kerry Lewendoski, the nonprofit this year anticipates breaking the $1 million mark in total money raised from the event since it started 11 years ago. 
“It’s like a big party, everyone’s out, everyone’s in a good mood,” Lewendoski said. “They’re having a good time, but they’re also here to make a difference, and to benefit the community. It really is a huge thing for us.”

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Coopers Beach polar plunge marks 11th year of success for Southampton nonprofit

Hundreds plunge for Hamptons nonprofit

Dec. 13, 2014 - Coopers Beach, Southampton

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Peter Vielbig, 75, stood on the shore of Crescent Beach on Shelter Island wrapped in a coat, hat and gloves, saving all the warmth he could before stripping down to swim gear and taking a dip in the water for the fifth annual Shelter Island Library Turkey Plunge. 
Vielbig, along with 12 other family members, were there to take the plunge in memory of the late Gail Vielbig, Peter’s wife, and the person who made the annual polar plunge part of Shelter Island tradition five years ago. Gail Vielbig died of congestive heart failure last May at the age of 75. 
“Gail was just full of great ideas,” Vielbig said. “This plunge is one of them, and ultimately an extension of her.” 
The event took place on Crescent Beach, drawingg a large crowd of plungers who were encouraged to dress in costume. The plunge is organized by the Friends of Shelter Island Library to raise money for ongoing library projects and upkeep. Gail Vielbig, a former member of the Friends, brought the idea to the group in 2009. Since then, the annual event has raised more than $75,000 for the library. 
“This is by far our largest fundraiser,” said Sue Hine, chairman of the Friends of Shelter Island Library group. “It’s truly become a community event – the support we get from residents, and even people from around the area, is incredible.” 
For Shelter Island Library director Denise DiPaolo, of Sag Harbor, this year’s event was bittersweet. It was the last plunge DiPaolo would take as library director – in January 2015, she will take on a new role as director of the Montauk library. 
And she did it in style. DiPaolo was dressed head to toe in a penguin suit, her face kept warm by her penguin headpiece. DiPaolo said she always liked dressing up -- last year she was the Cat in the Hat from Dr. Seuss. 
“I was there when the plunge first started, and I’ve watched it grow so much over the years,” DiPaolo said. “Even though I won’t be director, who knows? Maybe I’ll come back and plunge incognito next year.” 
This year’s plunge signaled an ending for DiPaolo, but a beginning for Ben Campbell, 11, who took the plunge for the first time this year. Not only was he one of the first people in the water – he was also the last out, lingering in the water for close to 10 minutes. 
“It tickled, it was so cold,” Ben said as he stood wrapped in a towel after the event. “But the longer I was in there, the warmer it got; I don’t know why. But it wasn’t so bad.”&nbsp;

Woman who inspired Shelter Island Library Turkey Plunge remembered

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With temperatures teetering between the 30s and 40s, more than 1,000 participants gathered at Cedar Beach on Long Island Sound in Mount Sinai on Saturday for the 5th Annual Town of Brookhaven Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics New York. 
One of the plungers was Sound Beach’s Dede Zenz, whose daughter started as a Special Olympian swimmer at age 3 and passed away five years ago at age 21. 
“I do this every year in honor of her,” Zenz explained. 
According to Kristina Aquilone, director of development for Special Olympics New York, the plunge raised more than $150,000 on Saturday. The funds raised will provide opportunities for 375 athletes to participate in the Special Olympics for a season. 
“Twenty years ago this was unheard of, and now everybody’s getting into it, and I think it’s fantastic,” said Zenz. 
It’s grown so much that people see a scheduling challenge as an opportunity. For first-time plunger Maria Kontonicolas of Bellerose, the day’s events started with two friends at 9 a.m., running four miles as part of the Blazing Trails Autism Run in East Meadow. 
“All three of us ran the four miles, got in the car, and ran over here, and we jumped into the water,” explained a cold but smiling Kontonicolas, 44. 
She hopes her 13-year-old son, Michael, who is diagnosed on the autism spectrum, will participate in the Special Olympics next year. 
The trio sought to raise more than $200, and was excited to reach $1,000 in donations. 
“I know how special-needs families are on a tight budget and I know how hard it is,” explained Kontonicolas. “And I’m hoping that kids who most likely wouldn’t be able to do this ... will now be able to participate.”

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At Brookhaven Polar Plunge, mom remembers her daughter

On her 60th birthday, Linda Fishman of Medford was ready to cross an item off her bucket list. So she headed to Blue Point. 
Fishman, who said she has jumped out of planes and flown a helicopter, was one of about 100 brave souls who plunged into the 41-degree water at Corey Beach on Sunday for the fourth annual Blue Point Bayport Lions Club Polar Plunge. 
While Fishman jumped in, Michael Vidal, 22, of Bay Shore, did not. 
“I got up this morning and chickened out,” said Vidal, shaking his head. “But my mom is still jumping in and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 
The Blue Point polar plunge benefits the Smithtown Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, which trains guide dogs for the blind. 
“We want to purchase a new dog for the guide dog program,” said Lions Club member Rich Vatalaro, 62, of Blue Point. “We are a small group of people, but we do a lot of great work for the local community, and it is fun.” 
Barbara Schwall, president of the Blue Point Bayport Lions Club, said the event was a success. 
“It's a feel-good event,” she said, standing amid beach balls and boogie boards. "And we are giving back to the local community." 
And helping Fishman celebrate her special day.&nbsp; 
“This was the best birthday ever,” she said with a shiver, running out of the water to grab a towel.

Sunday's Polar Plunge a birthday affair

Polar Plunge a birthday affair in Blue Point 

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Brian Schiralli, already soaked by a steady rain, grabbed his Special Olympics coach’s hand, sprinted into frigid water and was already waist deep before declaring, “We are diving in.” 
Without hesitation, Schiralli, who has Down syndrome, and his soccer, basketball, floor hockey and track coach of five years, Joe Branzetti, dove in headfirst. 
They were among the nearly 400 people who plunged into 37-degree water during the inaugural Town of Oyster Bay Polar Plunge at Tobay Beach in Massapequa on Saturday. 
“If we don’t get our heads in the water, it’s not a plunge,” said Branzetti, 62, of Flushing. “Brian goes to a lot of these and loves it. You spend 30 seconds with one of my athletes and you know why I plunge with them. They’re so passionate about what they do.” 
Jennifer Cantone, development specialist for the Long Island region of Special Olympics New York, a sports organization for those with intellectual disabilities, said she expected the plunge to raise at least $25,000, and maybe much more due to walkup participants. 
“Events like these benefit our athletes tremendously and it’s another way to raise awareness for what we do and bring some fun to the South Shore,” said Cantone, 42, of Coram. “I know it’s raining, but people are still going to come. Everyone’s going to get wet anyways. And it’s still cold enough to be our goodbye to winter plunge.” 
Special Olympics New York has 61,582 athletes training and competing year-round in 22 Olympics-style sports, according to its website, and the money raised will benefit those athletes so they can compete at no cost. About $400 covers the training and competition for one athlete per sports season. 
Before registration even began, Sgt. Thomas Heinsohn, a recruiter for the U.S. Marine Corps Recruiting Center in Hicksville, led a training session of drills, pushups and pullups for 16 Marine applicants on the beach. 
“Being asked to volunteer and plunge helps put our name out there, but it’s also great that we can raise money for such a worthy cause,” said Heinsohn, 25, of Farmingdale, who has served as a Marine for eight years. “We can handle a little rain and cold water. We’re Marines.” 
After the last wave of plungers, 14-year-old Natalie Rich and her two friends sprinted to their towels and huddled together to stay warm, shivering uncontrollably. 
“This is our first time, but it was a blast,” said Natalie, of Bethpage. “I didn’t think it would be this cold, but it didn’t matter to us. It was for a good cause.”

37-degree water for inaugural town plunge

Inaugural Town of Oyster Bay Polar Plunge gets 37-degree welcome

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Jack Sullivan pulled a dry-cleaning receipt from his pocket, dated March 20, 1996, to prove he waited for the right time to wear his tuxedo again. 
But Sullivan wasn’t going to a wedding. He and Frank Ozol,&nbsp; fellow chairman of the&nbsp; United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, traded swimsuits for dress suits Sunday for the 10th anniversary of the UCPN Polar Bear Plunge at Teddy Roosevelt Park in Oyster Bay. 
Sullivan, 67, of Long Beach, says he was able to garner the support of many Long Beach residents to help launch the event 10 years ago. &nbsp; 
“I’ve had a very blessed life,” said Sullivan, who like Ozol will need another trip to the dry cleaners after jumping into the water. “Why not do something for people less fortunate than me?” 
The feeling of giving swept through cyberspace for a group of college students from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Using Facebook to raise awareness and solicit funds, the women had $345 in donations just three days before the plunge, but their numbers soared to $1,700 just moments before the event. 
“People just plugged in their credit card numbers and gave money to us,” said Quinnipiac University student Jenna Siessel, 18, from Morristown, N.J. 
Participation is a key highlight for lifeguard-turned-volunteer-firefighter Sarah Feingold, 37, of North Amityville. &nbsp;Feingold, the last participant to exit the water after enduring chilly temperatures for 12 minutes, is a seasoned supporter. &nbsp;Earlier this year, she participated in the Coney Island Polar Bear Club’s&nbsp; New Year’s Day swim. There, Feingold stayed in the&nbsp; waters off Brooklyn for 52 minutes. 
For Feingold, the rationale is simple. 
“If I’m going to go and raise the money, wake up, put the bathing suit on, drive here and get in the water and get wet," she said, "I make it worth my while.”&nbsp;

Polar plunge becomes a black-tie affair

Oyster Bay polar plunge becomes a black-tie affair   

Jack Sullivan and Frank Ozol

*Jack Sullivan / jcm

Charlotte Lathrop didn’t plan on outlasting “Captain America” and the hundreds of other polar plungers who charged into Hempstead Harbor in Port Washington Saturday afternoon. But the 17-year-old Port Washington resident found herself lingering in the 30-degree water after everyone else had retreated to the beach because she lost a very important item. 
Her cellphone. 
“When I first hit the water, my phone flew out of my hands,” said Lathrop, her teeth chattering from the chilly conditions. She had been snapping photos with the phone to document the plunge, her second one. 
Emergency officials, some stationed in the water and others on land, ordered Lathrop to exit the water, saying it was too cold for her to stay in. She said she tried to tell them she was searching for her phone, but the frigid water hampered her ability to speak, and only gibberish came out. 
“I almost started to cry,” she added. 
But a Newsday photographer clad in a wetsuit found the phone, which was protected by a waterproof case, and yes, Lathrop said it was still working. 
This was the 10th consecutive year that the Town of North Hempstead has hosted the Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge with Special Olympics New York, and organizers said Saturday’s event was definitely one of the coldest. 
“Our plungers are used to 45-degree temperatures … so people are definitely getting the real feel for what a polar plunge is,” said Diane Colonna, regional director of the Long Island division of Special Olympics New York. 
Colonna said last year’s plunge in Port Washington drew about 600 participants and raised roughly $100,000 for the Special Olympics. She expected similar figures for this year’s event. Since Special Olympics doesn’t charge its athletes, the funds raised cover costs associated with training and competition year-round, she said. 
The conditions were a drastic change from what Hofstra University tennis players Ari Richman, 20, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Beau Wills, 22, of New Zealand, are used to back home. They came Saturday with a contingent of 20 student-athletes. 
“I thought I’d be seen as tough if I did it,” Wills said. “But I’m probably going to cry.”

Lost phone prolongs teen’s polar plunge

Lost cellphone prolongs Port Washington teen's polar plunge

Charlotte Lathrop

*Charlotte Lathrop / jcm

For her fourth consecutive Long Beach Polar Bears Super Bowl Splash, Tracy Krauss dressed the part. Sporting a head-to-toe polar bear costume complete with white, furry feet, Krauss, 40, of Long Beach, stood on the sand with thousands of others Sunday afternoon, ready to charge into the Atlantic Ocean. 
“It’s a fun way to spend a Sunday in February,” said Krauss, who has participated in the event ever since she moved to Long Beach in 2010. 
The annual plunge, now in its 15th year, raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening conditions. It also honors the memory of 4-year-old Paulie Bradley, of Island Park, who died in 1997 of cancer before Make-A-Wish could grant his request to vacation in Puerto Rico with his family. 
The cause is personal to Krauss, she explained, while shedding the polar bear costume to unveil a gold bathing suit and orange socks. Gold is the color of childhood cancer awareness; orange represents leukemia awareness. 
Krauss’s niece, Aubri Krauss, 5, of Centereach, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3. Her cancer is currently in remission, and the family will soon be taking a vacation in Hawaii thanks to Make-A-Wish. 
“What these kids go through when they are battling these life-threatening illnesses, they deserve to have just one week or a moment,” she said. 
Despite a winter with record-breaking below-freezing conditions, the “polar bears” lucked out. The temperature outside reached 52 degrees, prompting many of the participants to dive into the 30-degree water more than once. 
The warmer weather also prompted Jason Kleinman, 24, of Island Park, to step out wearing only a bow tie and a thong bikini bottom. &nbsp;It was his third polar plunge. 
“The first two seconds it feels like pins and needles hitting you, but after that you’re fine,” he said. “It’s invigorating.”

Polar plunge attracts crowd in Long Beach

Thousands dive in for Long Beach polar plunge

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Wearing a bikini and a Viking helmet, Carly Fitzsimons charged into the Long Island Sound Wednesday afternoon along with family, friends and dozens of other so-called “polar bears.” Although Fitzsimons, 20, of Commack, had admitted minutes earlier that she was not looking forward to going into the chilly water again for her second polar plunge, she said her sister’s legacy was drawing her back in. 
 For the second consecutive year, the annual New Year’s Day Polar Plunge at Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park benefited the Kerry Rose Foundation, which Fitzsimons’ family founded in 2012 after the death of her sister, Kerry Rose Fitzsimons, at the age of 21. 
 Kerry Rose Fitzsimons was a senior at Marist College in upstate Poughkeepsie when she was killed on Jan. 21, 2012, along with a fellow student and a Marist alum in a fire that broke out inside their off-campus housing. Officials determined the home was not equipped with a fire sprinkler system, which prompted Fitzsimons’ family to form a nonprofit to advocate for fire-safety awareness for on- and off-campus housing at colleges across the country. 
 In response to the foundation’s work, New York State adopted a new law, called the Kerry Rose Sprinkler Notification Act, in July. It requires public and private colleges in New York to provide written information on fire safety and sprinkler systems to students residing in college-owned or operated housing. Kerry Rose’s father, Bobby Fitzsimons, 52, said a federal bill is also in the works. 
 “We’re just trying to make a difference,” he said. “No family should have to go through this. She was a great kid, we miss her dearly and we’re trying to keep her memory alive by doing stuff like this.” 
 Peter Porcaro, the organizer of the polar plunge, now in its 12th year, said he chose the Kerry Rose Foundation as the beneficiary of the event, because his daughter, Valerie, 25, had known Kerry. 
 Porcaro, 53, of Smithtown, said the polar plunge at Sunken Meadow State Park started out as a New Year’s Day tradition just among a few of his friends, but they have turned it into a charity event. In past years, it has raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the American Cancer Society. 
 This year, more than 50 people participated in the plunge, although Porcaro outlasted them all. 
 If Kerry Rose was still alive, Carly Fitzsimons said her sister would definitely have joined her in the frigid water. 
 “She was a big scaredy cat, but she would definitely have done it, and she would have loved to see everyone here together,” she said. “She would be proud.”&nbsp;

Polar plunge honors Commack woman

Sunken Meadow polar plunge honors Commack’s Kerry Rose

Jan. 1, 2014 - Sunken Meadow State Park

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Marco Chiriboga promised an interview while in the water Wednesday. It was a short one.
He gave a shout. "My body is tingling like crazy!" he said. The 49-year-old Huntington resident grabbed his daughter's floating flip-flops from Northport Bay before sprinting back to the sand.
Hundreds of Long Islanders started 2014 with scream-inducing plunges into the frigid waters Wednesday.
"It's really invigorating," promised Joe Aiello, 49, Scout leader for Boy Scout Troop 410, which organized the fifth annual Polar Bear Swim at Steers Beach in Northport. "If it doesn't stop your heart, it's the best thing you do."
Maybe later. But in the immediate aftermath, one young polar bear sat in the sand hunched over. "I'm so cold," she said, as friends covered her with blankets and coats to form a makeshift igloo. 
At the Atlantic Ocean, "polar bears" for at least 50 years have been plunging into the Jones Beach surf. At Sunken Meadow State Park, they held the 12th annual New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge to benefit the Kerry Rose Foundation, which raises awareness about college safety.
The Northport event, which started with a few dozen participants and has grown to 250 plungers Wednesday, raises money for the Northport Food Pantry.
Many of the first-timers said it was something to cross off their bucket lists.
"It's a baptism," said Rob Conte, 48, of Huntington, whose brother, Assemb. James Conte, died in October 2012 at 53.
Sid Lynn, 65, of Centereach, said, "This is the year to do things I'd always thought I'd do."
For others, many of those of the younger set, it was just plain fun.
"It's something crazy, jumping in water that's so cold," said Mike Mancino, 17, of Northport, the senior patrol leader of the Boy Scout troop. He admitted staying on the sidelines for the first three years of the event, before making a dip last year. He warned before the swim: "It was colder than I expected."
At noon, a nearby weather station in Kings Point marked the water temperature at 36.9 degrees. The air temperature was reported as 30.2 degrees.
Friends and family of the participants bundled up in jackets and blankets, drinking steaming cups of hot cocoa.
Then it was a sprint into the water.
There's a shock to the chest. Then a numbness and a head rush. People are shouting and thrashing. Then it's a dash out of the water.
There are smiles and congratulations.
Then the burning cold sets in. "Your feet are on fire," Aiello said.
There was a warming tent and a bonfire on the beach, as well as emergency personnel standing by. The true secret, Aiello said, is a cooler full of steaming hot water, to place your feet in.
Before the swim, Madison Howard, 7, and her sister Kaleigh Howard, 5, had proudly come in their bathing suits and bathrobes, prepared to jump in.
"It's going to freeze my legs and I'm going to be a polar bear," Madison said.
She and Kaleigh made it up to their calves before turning around, their mother, Erin Howard, 42, said. "It was colder than an iceberg," Madison said.
Howard said that she still counted the girls among the polar bears.

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'Polar bears' hit the 36.9 degree waves

Jan. 1, 2014 - Steers Beach, Northport

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His aqua-blue mermaid outfit adorned with seashells and a green boa was UNLkely to keep Jimmy Mack warm as he plunged into icy waters, but it made for a fun spectacle. 
 Shivering in the 27-degree weather at Cooper’s Beach in Southampton, Mack was one of 350 people to run into the Atlantic Ocean at the 10th annual Human Resources of the Hamptons Polar Bear Plunge at Cooper's Beach in Southampton Village. 
 “The thrill of the crowd keeps me going,” said Mack, 56, of Southampton, about the 500 people who attended the event Saturday morning despite light snowfall. 
 Mack took a quick dip into the 40-degree waters with his husband, Brian Mott, 48. Mott was dressed as the Greek god Neptune and also wore multicolored Mardi Gras beads around his neck that bobbed as he ran into the water. 
 “Brian is from New Orleans and we thought the beads would be great to wear today,” Mack said. “This is his second year taking the polar plunge and my tentth.” 
 Human Resources of the Hamptons holds the plunge each year to raise money for the organization, which helps those less fortunate. This year the event brought in $70,000, said Mary Ann Tupper, the organization's executive director. 
 The money helps Human Resources of the Hamptons fill its food pantry, buy reusable clothing and help residents unable to pay their utility or heating bills. 
 Tupper said the event has grown in popularity since its first year. 
 “The first year, we had 50 people show up,” Tupper, 65, of Southampton, said. 
 This year’s was Tupper’s last organizing the plunge. After 21 years with the organization, she plans to retire this year. She said the plunge has always been something she looked forward to. 
 “I remember my first year when I ran into the water and hit a gully,” she said. “I fell face forward.” 
 Marine Sgt. Pablo Abad, 25, of Southampton, said he was eager to race into the frigid waters for a great cause. 
 “This is my second time,” he said. “It’s freezing but it doesn’t bother me. I put my whole body into the water, from head to toe. I do it because I like to help out the community.” 
 Southampton resident Don King admitted he loves taking the plunge – regardless of the weather. 
 “This is my ninth plunge into the water,” King, 56, said. “I love it. I love the ocean. I stayed in the water for about three minutes. It’s an adrenaline kick.”

Despite snow, hundreds 'plunge' in LI

Despite snow, hundreds run into the Atlantic Ocean at Southampton polar bear plunge

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Unlike many of the participants at the Westhampton Beach High School Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday morning, Caity Decara had plunged before and was ready. 
 “When you run in it feels like you’re being stabbed with needles because it’s so cold,” said Decara, 15, a sophomore. “It’s so much fun.” 
 Decara was among two dozen from the Westhampton Beach community who jumped into the chilly water of Rogers Beach on Saturday. 
 The Westhampton Beach High School student government organized the polar plunge to raise money for Adopt-A-Family, a program through The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Westhampton Beach for needy families. Through fundraising events like this weekend’s polar plunge and donations from local businesses, students were able to raise more than $1,200, which will be used to buy holiday presents for two of the program’s families. 
 “The kids really put this whole thing together, soup to nuts,” said Westhampton Beach principal Chris Herr. “All the funds here go to an amazing cause.” 
 Saturday’s event, which was inspired by the annual Southampton Polar Plunge, helped the students raise more money for the holidays than ever before. 
 “Definitely since I’ve been here it’s been the most ambitious thing we’ve done,” said Brian Schwartz, 17, Westhampton Beach High School’s student council vice president. “We’re hoping this can be an annual thing.” 
 For student government co-advisers Dariah Juma and Nicole Taylor, the plunge was an exciting way to bring something new to the school’s yearly fundraising activities. 
 “We really just want to have enough money for the families,” said Taylor, a business teacher. 
 Added Juma, “This is a pretty interesting opportunity for students in our high school. They can cross this off their bucket list.”

LI high school takes the plunge for needy

Westhampton Beach High School holds inaugural Polar Bear Plunge

Dec. 7, 2013 - Rogers Beach, Westhampton

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Wearing a shark hat and swimming trunks, Bob Lowery ran into the 52-degree water alongside his 15-person team, the Polar Sharks, including his 22-year-old son Peter, who was born with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic mental impairment similar to autism. 
 Lowery was among the nearly 1,000 people that plunged into the Long Island Sound at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai Saturday during Brookhaven’s fourth annual polar plunge. 
 “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be,” said Lowery, 55, of Patchogue. “I mean, I was scared to death to hit that icy water, but this is to support our son and a great program that’s given him a chance to play golf and swim and be happy. We owe them everything.” 
 Lowery’s son has been with Special Olympics New York for 15 years, even becoming a Special Olympics state champion in golf, he said. 
 Wearing a shark hat and tutu, Peter’s swim coach, Katie Henthorne, who has been coaching him for three years, had to drag him out of the water after plunging. 
 “I’m so proud of him for doing this,” said Henthorne, 24, of Patchogue. “This is an incredible feat for him and I’m glad to be here with him. He may have liked the cold.” 
 Kristina Aquilone, director of development at Special Olympics New York, said 1,000 plungers registered and it was the organization’s most successful plunge ever, raising $130,000. 
 “It was incredible this year. Everybody got behind us,” said Aquilone, 29, of Smithtown. “I think this is by far the largest plunge we’ve ever had. They looked like they enjoyed it.” 
 Last year, 550 people registered for the polar plunge, which raised $65,000. Aquilone said the date was pushed back due to superstorm Sandy, affecting participation. 
 Special Olympics New York has 61,582 athletes training and competing year-round in 22 Olympics-style sports. Athletes are never charged to participate, but it costs $400 to support training and competition for one athlete for a season, according to its website. 
 Wearing fake green pigtails, a “Little Mermaid” shirt and bright red blush, Lauren Smith, troop leader of Girl Scout Troop 248 in Miller Place, was among the 10 parents and troop leaders to raise $2,300 and plunge into water that was warmer than the air. 
 “We’re leading by example for our scouts,” said Smith, 38, of Miller Place. “We’re trying to teach our girls the importance of community involvement, fundraising and how powerful teamwork can be. Our hope is that they plunge with us next year.” 
 After everyone had already dived in, Anthony Luongo was still working on convincing his hesitant 12-year-old cousin, Nico Sandella, of Smithtown, to get into the water. 
 Luongo’s 14-person team, “Shock and Thaw,” raised $2,400 to benefit Special Olympics New York, in which his cousin participates in track and softball. Luongo said these activities are what make Nico happiest. 
 “When I found out about this, right away I thought of him because I knew how happy he is with the Olympics,” said Luongo, 24, of Medford. “Our goal is to send as many people to the Special Olympics as possible. It’s the least we can do.”

$130G raised at Brookhaven polar plunge

Brookhaven polar plunge raises $130G for Special Olympics

hlPLUNGE /ao

Tabea and Adriana Dilger stood on the shore of Corey Beach in Blue Point Sunday morning prepared to eat their words. 
 Last year, the Port Jefferson Station sisters attended the Bayport-Blue Point Lions Club’s first annual April Fools Polar Plunge, but as spectators. They laughed as others ran into the chilly waters of the Great South Bay and quickly retreated. 
 This time, they dived in. 
 “Our parents forced us,” said Tabea Dilger, 16, a junior at Mount Sinai High School. “Last year, we said, ‘Sure, we can do it,” and this year they said, ‘Well, you said you can do it and now, you are doing it.” 
 Adriana Dilger, 18, didn’t need much convincing. 
 “It was crazy, but really cool,” said the Mount Sinai senior. “It was on my bucket list after that.” 
 Having grown up in Germany, the Dilgers said they were accustomed to the cold, but motivating them and the roughly 100 others who participated this year was the mission of raising funds for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind. 
 The Smithtown-based nonprofit provides guide and therapy dogs to the blind, to soldiers overseas and to veterans returning home with injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder. 
 “It costs over $55,000 to raise a guide dog or a dog for one of America’s returning veterans,” said Judy Wines, 57, of Bayport, an ambassador for the foundation who attended the plunge with her husband, Thomas, and their service dogs, Mazel and Dice. 
 “Everything is free to the blind or disabled,” said Wines, adding that the foundation relies solely on donations. “Without contributors and supporters like the Lions Club and volunteers ... we just couldn’t do it.” 
 The plunge raised about $1,000. Through the years, the Lions have sponsored eight dogs at a cost of $6,000 each, said Barbara Schwall, the club’s president-elect and advisor to its youth group, the Leos. 
 Rachel Beck, 23, Holbrook, had already jumped into the Atlantic Ocean at Smith’s Point on New Year’s Day just for the fun of it. 
 “This is my first time plunging with an official polar plunge group,” she said, while sipping iced coffee. “It was such a rush I thought I’d do it again.” 
 One of the youngest plungers, Michael Cancellieri Jr., 6, of Bayport, planned to dive in with his father, but ended up going solo. 
 “I chickened out this morning,” said Michael Cancellieri, 35. “I’m very proud of him though. Mikey is always willing to help out.” 
 Blue Point’s Ed McCarthy, 40, and his son Will, 8, plunged together, and then headed to a nearby St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser to shave their heads. 
 “He had a brain tumor when he was four months old, so he’s always felt the need to give back,” McCarthy said. 
 Jon Campanelli, 17, a Bayport-Blue Point Leo, stood in the bay for 18 minutes, outlasting all others. 
 Still shivering on the beach, he said, “My goal was to be the last one in there.”

Dozens dive in for polar plunge

Dozens dive in for season's last polar plunge

HLPLUN07 /ao

Standing between his mother and father, Brendan Gallagher took their hands and raced into the frigid 35-degree water at North Hempstead Beach Park on Saturday. 
 He got in as far as his knees before the cold became too much and he darted back out. But it was an improvement over last year. 
 “Last year, he went in up to his ankles and this year up to his knees,” said Gallagher’s father, Joseph, 47, of Levittown. “Maybe next year we’ll get farther in. It was a good day and we’re lucky to be part of this.” 
 The Gallaghers were participating in their second polar plunge with their 150-person team, “Brendan’s Brigade,” formed 10 years ago to support 18-year-old Brendan Gallagher, who has autism. 
 The team was among the 600 who plunged into Hempstead Harbor at North Hempstead Beach Park in Port Washington during The Town of North Hempstead’s 9th annual Polar Plunge. 
 The event raised nearly $100,000 for the New York Special Olympics, said Kristina Aquilone, associate director of development for the Special Olympics organization. 
 “We’re freezin’ for a reason to show that we have the bravery that our athletes have,” said Aquilone, 28, of Smithtown, who did not plunge, but helped organize the event. “The money will go towards providing sports training for our 56,000 New York athletes with intellectual disabilities, providing them with uniforms, training and anything else they need.” 
 “Brendan’s Brigade” raised $25,000 for the plunge, the most of any single group. Joseph Gallagher said he also thinks his son had the most fun this year because he saw many of his friends from MacArthur High School in Levittown take the plunge, too. 
 His classmate, ninth grader Sabrina Galeotafiore, 14, of Levittown, took the plunge for the first time wearing a multi-colored bikini and sunglasses. 
 “When you get in the water -- that expression ‘it takes your breath away,’ that’s literally what happened,” she said. 
 She said braving the cold was worth it because it was for a good cause. 
 “Every $400 we raise, an athlete goes to the Special Olympics and we’ve raised thousands,” she said. “It feels so good to help Brendan in any way we can.” 
 Diana Carannante, an employee at Entenmann's Family Bakery in East Meadow, whose team, "Bakery Babes" raised $500, held her arms tight across her chest as she walked to shore shivering. 
 "I can't describe it better than that it was just cold," said Carannante, 55, of East Meadow. "But I had a lot of fun and hey, we raised some money for these kids. That's what matters most." &nbsp;

600 teams 'plunge' into Hempstead Harbor

North Hempstead Polar Plunge raises nearly $100G for New York Special Olympics

March 2, 2013 - Port Washington

HlPOLAR02

The first time Reza Kolahifar decided to jump into the frigid water of the Long Island Sound in Nissequogue, he knew that he needed to make his winter dive a yearly tradition. 
 After he told his friends how much fun he and his family had splashing into the wintry water, he decided to begin hosting his own event to raise money for charity. 
 “There’s something exhilarating about being in that water, being cool, being cold,” said Kolahifar, 41, of St. James. “It’s indescribable.” 
 That was five years ago. And on Sunday, Kolahifar and 33 other brave Long Islanders kicked off the 4th annual St. James Polar Bear Plunge by diving into the chilly January waters of the Long Island Sound to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 
 Kolahifar chose to donate the money to diabetes research after his niece, Victoria, was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 9. 
 “I’ve been doing [this] since it started, it’s my fourth year,” said Michelle Cronk, 40, of Smithtown. “It’s an excellent cause. It’s a fun moment to get together with your friends.” 
 Although the yearly polar plunge began with just one family, the grassroots fundraiser now attracts several dozen Long Islanders each year to Nissequogue. 
 “There’s probably 10 of us who do [this] every year,” said Terry Motherway, 40, of Huntington. “It’s nice to see it grow.” 
 After taking off their winter coats and hats and stripping down to swim trunks and bikinis, this year’s divers plunged into the 30-degree water, screaming and laughing as members of the local fire departments watched from the beach. 
 “It’s for a good cause, so I’ll give it a try,” said Mike Gilmartin, 44, of Huntington. “It’s my first time.” 
 Even though the turnout to this year’s event was slightly lower than expected, the St. James Polar Bear Club raised $3,500 for diabetes research. 
 “My favorite part of the dive is knowing that I can do something good for children with diabetes,” said Kolahifar. “I’m hoping that no kids have to go through what she [my niece] did.”

Polar bear plungers take dip for charity

Polar bear plungers take dip for charity in Nissequogue

Jan. 20, 2013 - Nissequogue

PolarPlunge edf

Fourteen-year-old Zach Mina was suffering from a sinus infection and his father wasn't feeling much better. But his mother, Ellen, knew she could not keep him -- and his father, Joe -- away from plunging into the icy waters of Northport Bay on New Year's Day. 
 So the <a href="/topics//West_Islip,_NY">West Islip</a> family joined dozens of others for the fourth annual Boy Scout Troop 410 and Northport Fire Department polar bear swim. 
 "This is our new family tradition," said Ellen Mina, the family's official photographer. 
 Keeping family traditions and cleaning slates for the New Year were some of the reasons people gave for taking the plunge. But they also came out because the event raised funds for the Northport food pantry. 
 At just before noon, the crowd stood on the edge of Steers Beach, many wrapped in sweaters, jackets and robes that they would soon peel off to run into the water. 
 The Minas posed for a picture, Zach anticipating the cold afterward. "I'm gonna want a jacket when I get out." 
 Jackie Newton, 31, of Northport, a newbie to polar beach swims, with her mother-in-law, Deb Newton, and two others, stood on the beach dressed in white robes. Jackie Newton said she decided to swim because of "peer pressure . . . and honestly because I think it is fun," she said, adding that it also goes to a good cause. 
 She said that she planned to dunk all the way under water. "If you're going to do it, you really got to do it." 
 The crowd went running toward the bay once the signal was given. Many ran into the water, then sprinted out, their bodies shocked from the 37 degree water. But Nicole Schafer, 12, of Northport, was in no rush. Her family stood on the shore watching in disbelief as she stayed in for more than four minutes. 
 Schafer was ordered out by a woman wearing a Northport rescue jacket. Schafer's teeth chattered and she could barely speak as her mother wrapped her in a towel. She said she stayed in because she wanted to be the last one in the water. 
 This year, about 200 people participated, about the same as last year. The troop raised about $2,700 and donations are still coming in, said Jim Garvey, assistant scoutmaster. 
 After the plunge, Zach Mina warmed up and had a pit stop to make. His parents were taking him to a walk-in clinic to get his sinus infection checked out.

Northport polar bears take plunge for charity

liPOLA02 cropped

Dressed as a mermaid, Jimmy Mack fearlessly sprinted across Cooper’s Beach in Southampton and plunged into the 50-degree water without hesitation. 
 This year during the 9th annual Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, the veteran plunger brought along his husband Brian Mott, who dressed as Poseidon for his first plunge. 
 “I couldn’t believe how incredibly cold it was,” said Mott, 47, of North Sea. “I’m going up to my ankles and running out and then back in as quickly as possible. I’m from the Deep South. This isn’t warm. There is nothing warm about this.” 
 The couple was among the hundreds to take the plunge into the Atlantic Ocean, raising thousands of dollars for the <a href="http://www.hrhamptons.org/">Human Resources of the Hamptons’ food pantry</a>. 
 Even with the pins and needles feeling, goosebumps, and cold sand between his toes, Mack said it was all worth helping his hometown. 
 “I grew up in Southampton, and I know that a lot of people can’t fathom this, but there are actually a lot of people who go hungry,” said Mack, 55, of North Sea. “I’d do anything to help.” 
 Mary Ann Tupper, director of Human Resources of the Hamptons, said the organization aims to raise $100,000 to provide turkey dinners, holiday presents and everyday essentials to Long Island families in need. 
 “It’s cold out here, but it gives you such a great feeling to help someone else,” said Tupper, of Southampton, who also took the plunge. “Imagine waking up on Christmas morning and not having a present from Santa under the tree. This makes Santa appear in many, many homes.” 
 The food pantry, in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Roman Catholic Church’s school basement, is open to the public on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to noon. 
 “On Dec. 19, we’re going to give away 300 turkeys and 4,500 gifts to children in the community,” Tupper said. 
 Last year, 450 people plunged, raising $80,000 to provide food, emergency fuel and utilities, school supplies, medical transportation and home repairs to local families in need. As of Saturday night, Tupper was unsure how much was raised by this year’s plunge or the total number of plungers. 
 Karmen Friedman, 13, shivered underneath a towel next to her friend Samantha Wesnofske, 12, after jumping into the ocean three times. 
 “It felt like needles hitting my body, but we didn’t want to be chicken,” said Friedman, of Water Mill. 
 Gary Glanz, who founded the Polar Bear Plunge in 2004, said that over the past eight years, the events have raised $700,000 for Human Resources of the Hamptons. 
 “Next year, we’re planning to have a big fire on the beach and serve hot soup to plungers,” said Glanz, 59, of North Sea. “We’re looking to improve the experience and keep everyone here longer.”

Hundreds plunge into Atlantic Ocean

hlPOLAR08 crop

Brad Geoghan dove into the Great South Bay at Corey Beach on Sunday morning and walked out seconds later covered in goose bumps. 
 The 27-year-old Blue Point resident quickly grabbed a towel to warm up. 
 Geoghan was one of 107 people who participated in the Blue Point Bayport Lions Club’s first Polar Plunge to benefit the Guide Dog Foundation. Swimmers of all ages donated $10 to $15 in order to briefly jump into the ocean on a 45-degree morning. 
 “Having a guide dog could make a world of difference in someone else’s life so for us to jump into the cold water for a couple of minutes is the least we can do,” Geoghan said. 
 It costs $66,000 to train a guide dog and every year the Lions Club, a charity organization that focuses on foundations for the visually impaired, donates $6,500 to help sponsor a dog for the blind. 
 “The Lions Club is wonderful for all they do for the Guide Dog foundation,” said Judi Wines, 66, a Guide Dog ambassador as she bent down to pet Mazel, a 5-year-old Golden Retriever. “I think this event is great for community spirit but I’m a senior citizen so you won’t be seeing me in the water.” 
 Students from the LEO Club, a branch of the Lions Club with volunteers from Bayport-Blue Point High School, also helped plan the Polar Plunge. 
 “We’re such a small town and it’s awesome to see everyone willing to help out,” said Molly Grube, 17, a LEO Club volunteer. 
 At 11 a.m., participants in swimsuits plunged into the ocean together laughing and screaming. 
 “I wanted to do this to help charity with my family,” said Chris Quartuccio, 9, of Sayville, through shivers. 
 Even after the plunge, members of the community stayed on the beach to talk and play volleyball. 
 Jim Mendelson, 69, president of the Lions Club, said the event raised about $1,000. 
 “Every community has its own personality,” Mendelson said. “This is a community that generation after generation has helped each other out if there’s ever a need.”

Polar plunge at Corey Beach draws dozens

It was a cold, rainy day last year when more than 200 people jumped into the waters off Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay to raise money for the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, Inc., according to Patricia Quinn, the association’s community outreach manager. 
 Quinn said <no1>
 Thursday
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 she hopes the current milder weather will bring out double that number for this year’s Polar Bear Plunge.
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 The eighth annual event is scheduled for Sunday
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 at 1 p.m. at the park, with swimmers taking the plunge at 2 p.m., Oyster Bay Town officials said.
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 Town Supervisor John Venditto, an honorary co-chairman of the event, in a statement called those volunteering to swim “brave souls.”
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 <no1>
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 Nearly $13,000 had been raised as of&nbsp; 
 <no1>
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 <no>
 through online fundraising and Quinn said organizers hope to soon top last year’s total of $50,000.
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 <no1>
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 “It is a fun day that has something for everyone,” she said in a statement. “The swimmers clearly get a big thrill from taking the plunge and all those on shore enjoy lots of laughs.” For more information, visit ucpn.org.
 </no>
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 </no>
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 Sarah Feingold, of North Amityville, swims in 44-degree water during the 6th annual Polar Bear Plunge at Theodore Roosevelt Park in Oyster Bay. (March 7, 2010) 
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‘Polar Bears’ look to warmer weather

Oyster Bay ‘Polar Bears’ look to warmer weather 

Oyster Bay polar bear plunge

Best friends Michael Sojak, 8, and Ava Raspanti, 7, bundled in their coats, stood behind yellow tape, pointing their fingers at two dogs jumping in and out of the Great South Bay. 
 Moments later, their eyes jumped to the 75 people sprinting down Amityville Village Beach, against the wind and plunging into the 44-degree water. 
 Michael’s family was one of many to plunge into the water Saturday during the 5th Annual Long Island Polar Dip to raise money for Camp Sunshine, a retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The event raised $15,123 and brought nearly a hundred spectators to the beach on an overcast 50-degree day. 
 For years, Camp Sunshine has provided Michael and his family a getaway after his diagnosis with hepatoblastoma, the most common form of liver cancer in children. He was diagnosed at 11 months, but he is now in remission, said his mother, Lucy Sojak. 
 “Plunging is a picnic compared to what kids with cancer go through,” she said. “Michael received six rounds of chemo at 11 months old.” 
 The Farmingdale family has been going to Camp Sunshine since Michael was 5 and has been plunging ever since. At the this year’s event, Sojak’s family and friends raised $4,500. 
 This year Camp Sunshine has raised just more than $359,000 through polar plunges in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, according to its website. 
 The camp’s goal was to raise $20,000 at this plunge to send 10 to 15 Long Island families to the camp for one week, which provides families with a place to stay, meals, on-site medical care and recreation. 
 Fundraising efforts like polar plunges help pay the $2,000 it costs for one family to spend a week at the camp, according to Nancy Cincotta, the psychosocial director at Camp Sunshine. 
 Cincotta said the nonprofit is dependent on donations and hopes to bring 800 families to the camp this year. 
 “Your life can feel like it’s falling apart when you’re going through having a child with a brain tumor or cancer, so it’s a place where you can stop feeling crazy and start feeling like you’re pretty normal because everyone else there is like you,” Cincotta said. 
 East Williston resident Charlene Eckhoff, who has volunteered at Camp Sunshine with her family since 2007, organized the Amityville event. 
 “The camp is great because you don’t know who is sick and who is not,” she said. “No one is treated any differently. This plunge is really about creating awareness that people can afford this, it’s free.”

Amityville polar plunge raises $15G

Amityville polar plunge raises thousands for charity

Polar

Two friends, on little more than a whim, plunged into the frigid ocean waters off Long Beach one <a href="/topics/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a> Sunday not too long ago. 
 As Kevin <a href="/topics/Kevin_McCarthy">McCarthy</a> and Pete Meyers told the story Sunday -- describing the origin of their annual charity polar bear swim event -- it seemed almost inconceivable to them that it launched 14 years ago. 
 An estimated 6,000 swimmers and, organizers say, 20,000 spectators now join them in what resembles a boardwalk <a href="/topics/Mardi_Gras">Mardi Gras</a>, spanning the length of two city beaches. 
 After the first official "<a href="/topics/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a> Splash," organized two years after the initial plunge, raised $8,000 for the <a href="/topics/Make-A-Wish_Foundation">Make-A-Wish Foundation</a>, cumulative donations are about to top $3 million. 
 "The fact that this has grown into what it is, it's just incredible," Michael Fagen, a Long Beach city councilman, said of the city-sponsored event. 
 Never underestimate the power of a good cause, said McCarthy, 53. He and Meyers, 48, took their inaugural polar bear dip in 1998, mostly to celebrate McCarthy's 40th birthday. 
 By 2000, they had linked the swim to Make-A-Wish in honor of 3-year-old Paulie Bradley, who died of cancer in 1997 before realizing his wish to play on a Puerto Rican beach. 
 "It's all because this is for the kids," McCarthy, a city water plant worker, said of the event's popularity. 
 Sunday's swim had an added buzz because of the <a href="/topics/New_York_Giants">Giants</a>' <a href="/topics/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a> appearance. Organizers called it a "<a href="/topics/New_York_Giants">Giants</a> Beach Bash," and attendees listened, wearing team-licensed beach towels, swim trunks and winter caps en masse. Funds are raised through individual sponsorships and Long Beach Polar Bear merchandise sales. 
 The only person brave enough to wear <a href="/topics/New_York_Jets">Jets</a> green had his face covered -- he was dressed as Gumby. 
 "This is an opportunity for <a href="/topics/New_York_Jets">Jets</a> fans to go in the water and wash away the misery of another year without a <a href="/topics/Super_Bowl">Super Bowl</a>," said Meyers, a <a href="/topics/New_York_Giants">Giants</a> fan who works at <a href="/topics/Lincoln_Center%2C_NY">Lincoln Center</a> in Manhattan, needling the <a href="/topics/New_York_Jets">Jets</a>-loving McCarthy. 
 With temperatures in the mid-40s Sunday afternoon and the ocean a crisp 42 degrees, swimmers were in good spirits. 
 Mitchell Grant, a commercial property manager in Manhattan, struck frequent poses on the beach in his white gym shorts, electric-red wig and <a href="/topics/New_York_Giants">Giants</a>-blue body paint, with a white "NY" painted on his back. 
 Passersby stopped to shake his hand or snap a photo. What they didn't know is that Grant also contributed significantly to the cause, raising almost $5,000 through sponsorships for Make-A-Wish this year, his third as a polar bear. 
 "This is all-American," said the <a href="/topics/Long_Island_City%2C_NY">Long Island City</a> resident, scanning the eclectic crowd, which included families with children, seniors and college cheerleading squads. "Check out this scene. Nothing is better than this."

Nassau

LIPOLA06

Long Beach polar bear swim draws thousands

Feb. 5, 2012 - Long Beach

liPOLA06 cropped

Some donned bikinis. Some went shirtless with shorts. And others just rolled up their jeans. 
Dozens braved Sunday’s near 40-degree temperatures and took the plunge into the frigid Great South Bay during Amityville’s Polar Bear Plunge. 
"You wouldn’t catch me running into the bay today," said spectator Garth Grillo of North Babylon. 
After the National Anthem ended, a moment of hesitation came over the scantily clad swimmers at Amityville’s James A. Caples Memorial Park Beach. Then they darted down a runway lined with onlookers. Everyone quickly ran in the water and raced out even faster. 
The event was a fundraiser for Camp Sunshine, a Maine-based retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. 
"It’s a great time and we’re happy to be back in Amityville," said Ashley Riley, Camp Sunshine’s events coordinator. "A lot of our families from Camp Sunshine are from Long Island." 
She said nearly 200 families from New York made the trek to Maine in 2010. 
"We’re unique because we’re one of the few camps that involve the families, and not just the kids," Riley said. Riley estimated that they had 150 families participating in Sunday’s plunge. 
Camp Sunshine partnered with the Lupus Alliance for the plunge, and KJOY 98.3 chipped in to help sponsor&nbsp;a party at the nearby Ollie's Point Bar and Grill after the group plunge. Bar and Grill. 
Pictured: Dozens brave near 40-degree temperatures and&nbsp;run into the frigid Great South Bay during Amityville’s Polar Bear Plunge. (Feb. 13, 2011)

Dozens take plunge into Great South Bay

plunge1

Valerie Sherack stood in a striped bikini and ski cap as she rubbed her goose bump-covered body Sunday afternoon on Long Beach. 
The 33-year-old Long Beach woman was one of hundreds who braved the frigid Atlantic Ocean as part of the Polar Bear Club’s 12th Annual Sunday Splash. 
“They just blow an air horn and everyone runs in,” Sherack said with chattering teeth. 
At a not-so-balmy 45 degrees, it was hardly perfect swimming weather. But for the participants of the plunge, the water hovering around the low 30s was just fine. 
“This is on my bucket list,” said a soaked Linda Davis, 53, as she emerged from the water and wrapped herself in a fluffy pink robe. "My friends would kill me if they found out I did this. But I did it!" 
Crowds of curious bystanders donning winter coats leaned against the boardwalk rail to watch the young and old frolic through the waves wearing only swimsuits and flip-flops. 
Lifeguards wearing wetsuits and armed with red life preservers kept close watch on the swimmers. 
"It's fun," said Ronni Gilligan, 70, of Long Beach. "I come here just because, but only when it's sunny.”

Hundreds take the plunge in Long Beach

polar bear / mg

Polar bear plungers hit the waters off Long Island

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