More than 300 participate in Polar Plunge

A variety of characters -- including superheroes, gnomes and dancing doughnuts -- gathered at Lake Boutin on Saturday afternoon to help raise money for the Special Olympics.

More than 300 people rushed into the lake at Trail of Tears State Park for Southeast Missouri's eighth annual Polar Plunge, topping last year's numbers of 292 participants.

Last year's event raised $53,000, according to Special Olympics Regional Development Director Penny Williams, and the goal for this year was $60,000.

By the end of the event, Williams said volunteers had raised about $48,000, but money raised from souvenir sales and the silent auction at the post-plunge party had not been counted.

"I think we'll get close [to our goal] with those additions," she said.

Robin Marberry plunged in for her second time at the event. Dressed as a lawn gnome along with the rest of her group, the Super Plungers, she said she enjoyed participating.

"It's fun and it's for a good cause," she said.

Marberry and her team were among the many competing for the "golden plunger award," presented at the post-plunge party to the team with the most creative costumes.

Before plunging into the 40 degree water, each team stood before a panel of judges to have their costumes evaluated. State Sen. Wayne Wallingford was among this year's judging panel and said choosing a winner was a difficult decision.

"The costumes are so unique and creative, and the enthusiasm is just over the top," he said. "It's pretty tough. ... There were some pretty original costumes

out there."

Peggy Welker and her group, the Perryville Polar Chicks, took home the golden plunger award last year when they dressed as nuns. This year, the group came with inner tubes, decorated to look like doughnuts, around their waists. As they stood before the judges, they also sang "We Wanna Go Plunge," a spoof of Henry Belafonte's "The Banana Boat Song."

"What do we enjoy most about the plunge? Just acting silly and having fun together and raising money for a good cause," Welker said.

Jumping into the water is "freezing and terrifying," Welker added, but she was happy to see there was no ice on the lake this year.

When it came time to dive into the water, teams lined up three at a time along the beach. They walked, jumped and swam several feet into the water where divers from the Cape Girardeau Fire Department were waiting to help and give high-fives to the plungers.

After the plunge, Kylie Werner was one of the dozens standing in line to board shuttles that took participants and spectators to the event. She was a first-time plunger.

"It was fun and freezing cold," she said. "I was in shock when I got out of the water."

Werner said she would like to participate again next year, along with the rest of Team Neva Eva, and would only change one thing.

"We didn't have a [costume] theme this year," she said. "We'll come back with a theme next year."

It closed with a post-plunge party at the Isle Casino Cape Girardeau event center, where awards were given for best costumes and top fundraisers and a silent auction was held.

srinehart@semissourian.com

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