01/18/2012 - Lake of the Ozarks Polar Bear Plunge

Lake of the Ozarks Polar Bear Plunge 2011

Are you ready for largest wintertime fundraiser to be held at the Lake of the Ozarks? The 16th annual Polar Bear Plunge, hosted by the Osage Beach Police Department and the City of Osage Beach to benefit the Special Olympics Missouri will be held on February 25, 2012.  Along with the plunge several events are being held in conjunction with the Plunge.

There have been a couple of changes this year the event is now called the �Polar Plunge� and a special category that has been added for schools. 

This event is wildly popular and has been very successful in raising money.  Last year, the event raised more than $170,000.  There were 500 plungers who dipped into chilly Lake of the Ozarks and 150 �strutters� who ran or walked the 3.1 mile course behind the Osage Beach City Hall. 

The Cool School category is new this year. Schools can build their teams and compete for the Cool School. 

School of the Osage students, teachers, and community members are forming a team.  To join the team, visit the website, click on Polar Bear Plunge, register your information as a new member, and join an existing team (School of the Osage) under the search Osage.  Later, someone will contact you with further information.

School of the Osage team members will be holding a fundraiser for the event from Jan 10 to Feb. 19. Members of the School of the Osage Polar Bear Plunge team will randomly place a decorated toilet in someone�s yard. To remove the toilet, a $5 minimum donation will be asked. To place the toilet in someone�s yard, a $10 minimum donation will be asked. If you would like to brighten someone�s morning with a surprise toilet, contact Gwen DeVaul at  or at 573-723-0198 and leave a message with your name, phone number and location of where you would like to drop the toilet. Bring all donations to the School of the Osage high school office.

Want To Take The Plunge Into Lake Of The Ozarks?

It�s easy and for a good cause! Raise a minimum of $75 and enter into the Plunge. Dig out an old Halloween costume or come up with some crazy outfit and have fun while diving into the Lake of the Ozarks at Public Beach No. 2 in Osage Beach. Register for the Plunge at noon on February 25. The Parade of Costumes begins at 2 p.m. where all of the Plungers walk to the beach where they will take the plunge into the Lake. The first heat to the Plunge begins at 2:30 p.m. 

Costumes are judged at the Plunge. They are awarded in various categories � broken down by individual, team, law enforcement, and schools. As always, the legendary Golden Plunger will be given to the school, team, law enforcement officer and individual judged as having the best costume.  

Don�t Want To Plunge?  Do The Strut!

Run or walk the 3.1 mile course in Osage Beach. Doors open at 8 a.m. for registration at the Osage Beach City Hall. The Strut starts at 10 a.m. Raise a minimum of $50 by Feb. 8 and you will receive an event shirt. 

The Super Plunge

How does jumping in the Lake 24 times sound? Crazy, right?  Well a group made up of 12 people are registered to take part in the annual Super Plunge this year. To participate in The Super Plunge, each person had to raise a minimum of $2,500 to participate. They stay on houseboats docked at the marina at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park and start jumping in around 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 25. They jump into the Lake every hour throughout the rest of the day and night, finishing up with the first plunge of the Polar Plunge. 

All the Super Plunge spots are filled.  Recruiting for a spot as a Super Plunger begins approximately six months prior to the event. 

One of the Super Plunger�s is Osage Beach Police Officer, Sgt. Mike O'Day.  He plans to jump into the freezing waters of the Lake of the Ozarks 24 times in 24 hours. This will be Sgt. O'Day's second year to participate in the Super Plunge, although he has participated in the Polar Plunge for several years. 

Sgt. O'Day will be hosting a basketball tournament to help him reach this goal. This event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. at Camdenton Middle School. The cost is $50 a team (minimum of 5 per team) or $10 for an individual. Along with the tournament there will be concessions, door prizes and a silent auction. All proceeds raised at this event will put Sgt. O'Day that much closer to his $2,500 goal. If you are interested in participating in this event, please contact Sgt.O'Day at 573-230-1894. If you are unable to make the basketball tournament, but would like to help him reach his goal, please visit Sgt. O'Day's fundraising page at www.somo.org/mike1 or you can send donations to SOMO, Attn: Super Plunge, 1001 Diamond Ridge, Ste. 800, Jefferson City, Mo. 65109. Please make checks payable to Special Olympics Missouri, and be sure to indicate on the check who the donation is intended for.

The After Party 

The Post Plunge/Strut Party will be at Tan-Tar-A Resort starting at 4 p.m. on Feb. 25. Polar participants get in free, one of their guests can gain admission for $5. The rest of the public is $10 at the door. A silent and live auction run by Rick Bryant will be held. Items are needed and still being collected. If you are interested in donating to the auction, contact 573-690-2008. 

Cops on Top

Another way the Osage Beach Department of Public Safety helps raise money for the Special Olympics Missouri is by soliciting donations from on top of the Hy-Vee gas station. Local law enforcement officers will be stationed on top of the roof asking those passing by to place donations into a bucket. They will be holding the event Feb. 18 from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. 

 Polar Bear Plunge Rules

Minimum total must be turned in by date of Plunge. Bring proof of online registration or your registration form and collected donations to the event.

Attire: Participants can wear anything but a wet suit and must wear shoes and at least a swimsuit.

Minimum age: Must be at least 10 years old and anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult, who must attend the event.   The Lake of the Ozarks Polar Bear Strut has no age minimum.

Special Olympics Missouri 

Our mission: To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with mental disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.

 Some information provided by www.somo.org & Vacation News

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