Cold Water Warms Hearts at the 2015 Polar Plunge

Going for a swim in Central Missouri's beautiful Lake of the Ozarks is a common occurrence. Doing it in February is less common. Nevertheless, brave souls with warm hearts will "take the plunge" for Special Olympics at the Polar Plunge on February 28.  2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the plunge at Lake of the Ozarks. Organizers expect approximately 600 "plungers" and another 1,500 spectators to be on hand for the event at Public Beach #2 in Lake of the Ozarks State Park. Many of the participants don a costume for their plunge, so the event begins with a costume parade at 2 pm, prior to the 2:30 pm plunge. The Polar Plunge makes a great centerpiece for a winter weekend of fun at the Lake of the Ozarks. Lodging facilities offer great winter rates and activities like shopping and golf, if the weather permits, add to the fun. Restaurants and nightspots can help plungers, and their fans, celebrate their success. Special Olympics Missouri's 14 Polar Plunges take place around the state in February to generate funds for the organization's year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. New for 2015, Special Olympics Missouri has extended the Polar Plunge to include the little ones who want to participate in the event. The all new Pee Wee Polar Plunge will take place on Friday, February 27 at Timber Falls, Tan-Tar-A Resort's indoor water park. The Pee Wee Polar Plunge is open to children up to 9 years of age. Is jumping into frigid waters not your thing? Maybe a brisk run through Osage Beach would be more your speed with the Polar Bear Strut. The only thing is that you'll have to rise and shine early as the Strut starts at 8:00 am sharp on February 28th. Visit http://bit.ly/PolarStrut2015 for more information and registration.   All participants fundraise for the Special Olympics prior to the plunge and prizes are awarded for top fundraisers. These donations help the participating individuals and teams show their pride and dedication to the cause, giving them, as one team puts it, "a reason for freezin'." The Polar Plunge is a project of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Missouri and is proudly hosted by the Osage Beach Police Department. For more information and registration for both Polar Plunge events, visit Special Olympics Missouri's Polar Plunge Lake of the Ozarks website at http://bit.ly/plunge2015. For general Lake of the Ozarks lodging, dining and more information, visit www.funlake.com or call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE or 573-348-1599.

Polar Plunge at the Lake Set for Feb. 22, 2014

Only brave souls with warm hearts would be inclined to take a dip in Lake of the Ozarks in February. On February 22, costumed participants will "take the plunge" into the frigid waters of the Lake as part of their commitment to Special Olympics Missouri's year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. 

Festivities at the event include a costume parade before the 2:30 pm plunge, when participants walk, run or crawl into the cold winter waters of the Lake from Public Beach #2 in Lake of the Ozarks State Park. All participants fundraise for the Special Olympics prior to the plunge and prizes are awarded for top fundraisers. These donations help the participating individuals and teams show their pride and dedication to the cause and give them, as one team puts it, "a reason for freezin'." Spectators crowd the shoreline at the event, cheering on their favorite participants and showing their support for the cause. The Polar Plunge is a project of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Missouri and is proudly hosted by the Osage Beach Police Department. To register yourself or a team to take the plunge, or to donate to your favorite participant, visit the Special Olympics of Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks Polar Plunge page at http://bit.ly/1kA5rm0.

To view a complete series of photos from the 2013 Polar Plunge, check our our Flickr photo set at http://bit.ly/YAGOZ6.