Temperatures in the low-40s and still-clinging icicles didn't deter more than a dozen passionate people from taking a Polar Plunge on behalf of children in need on Saturday morning.
The event was organized by Janie Daugherty, director of nutrition with Opaa! Food Management, and nutritionist Michelle Stites following the organization of a county-wide, after-school meal program. In the month since the program's inception, more than 27,000 meals have been served in the county's 10 schools.
"I challenged the Opaa! team to do it because I remember being cold and hungry when I was little," Stites said. "Now that we have a dinner program that takes care of the hungry part, I figured, 'let's plunge to let the kids know that we know how it feels to be cold.'"
After taking the teeth-chattering leap into Indian Creek, the Opaa! staff members, students and supporters had mixed reviews; some said the experience was "not as bad" as they imagined, while others said it was even more shocking than they anticipated.
"You know how they flash-freeze stuff? It was like that!" said Todd Daugherty, the first supporter to volunteer for the plunge.
General News on 02/20/2020