By Steve Hubrecht
Ready to chill out? The Recreation Adapted (RAD) Society’s annual Polar Plunge is coming up soon, offering a great chance to indulge your inner polar bear and raise money for a good cause at the same time.
This year is the ninth edition of the annual event, which began small and quickly grew into one of the biggest dates on Columbia Valley calendars all winter. Participants raise pledges for RAD and then go for a refreshing dip — jumping through a hole in the ice into the chilly waters of Taynton Bay — before warming back up in a nearby hot tub or sauna.
Once again, the Polar Plunge is a weekend-long event this year, having expanded from one day to two in 2024, owing to popular demand. It is on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16, falling one day after Valentine’s Day and coinciding with the Family Day long weekend.
Last year the plunge brought about 500 people down to the Kinsmen Beach area — 400 pledging polar swimmers and 100 onlookers — and organizers expect a similarly large turnout this year.
“It’s a fun, family-friendly event,” organizer Ryan Karl told the Pioneer.
There will be ice skating sledge hockey and, weather permitting, live music and other entertainment, as well as snacks and drinks, and a very festive atmosphere.
“The smiles, the laughter and the looks on people’s faces when they come out — it’s entertaining. There’s a lot of excitement,” said Karl.
If you’re a bit tepid about jumping in near-freezing water, Karl outlined that you are welcome to simply watch. But he did explain it’s not as shiver-inducing as you may think.
“I’m usually the first one in the water, and I’m often the last one out. It’s actually great,” he said.
In 2024 the Polar Plunge raised $10,000 for the RAD Society and Karl hopes this year will bring in just as much. The money is being earmarked to help create an accessible ramp at Kinsmen Beach so that people in wheelchairs or who face other mobility challenges can get into the lake. The ramp would be similar in scope to the one at the beach at James Chabot Provincial Park.
In past years, funds raised through the Polar Plunge have been used to purchase accessible outdoor recreation gear including an electric assist mountain trike, a para golfer, an adaptive cross country ski sledge, a hand cycle, and more. Many of these pieces of equipment are the only ones of their type available to publicly rent.
The Polar Plunge runs from noon to 4 p.m. on both days. Registration is $20, and all ages are welcome. To find out more visit?www.RADsociety.ca.
PHOTO CHRIS MOSELEY
PHOTO CHRIS MOSELEY
