By Dante LaPenta
On Super Bowl Sunday when the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers were warm and cozy inside the Cowboys Stadium dome, 3,094 Polar Bear Plunge participants braved the elements in Rehoboth Beach, taking a ‘refreshing’ dip in the Atlantic Ocean. This year marked the 20th anniversary since Special Olympics Delaware and Lewes Polar Bears Club joined forces. After raising $5 million over two decades, the 2011 Plunge was bigger than ever, raising over $550,000.
Mark Wise, director of training and volunteer management for Special Olympics Delaware, said, “The Plunge has grown so much that it almost takes year-round preparation. We now have over 200 volunteers.” Wise also credited the Delaware State Police, University of Delaware Police, Coast Guard, and the Millville Fire Department, among others, for their immense work and contributions toward the safety elements of the event, which drew an estimated crowd of 20,000.
While those Steelers and Packers must abide by the NFL’s strict uniform and equipment policy, the Plunge participants were encouraged to display their unique fashion sense. Many donned colorful robes and pajama pants, but some of the team costumes really stole the show. Jeremy Eglit, a Special Olympics athlete and 10-year Bear, was dressed as the superhero ‘Mr. Incredible’ from the popular computer-animated movie. Eglit’s mother, Jamie Eglit, and grandmother, Mary Ann Smith, also wore Incredibles sweatshirts. Smith said, “Jeremy has been plunging for so long, we call him ‘The Incredible Plunger,’ so being the Incredibles made sense.” Mother Jamie Eglit described the event as wonderful, saying, “Special Olympics does so much for these kids who want to participate. Through events like the Polar Bear Plunge, the community can back all the athletes instead of them being excluded.”
Special Olympics also used Sunday’s Plunge to spread the message of Project UNIFY, which engages young people throughout Delaware to help foster respect, dignity, and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. Students from all over the state involved in the program represented their schools. Daniel Diaz was among 30 participants from A.I. du Pont High School. Diaz, wearing the Tiger mascot costume, explained, “2011 had been the most successful year to date as A.I. raised over $3,000.”
Sunday’s event drew people of all ages to the Delaware shoreline. The team ‘The Original 4 Generations,’ with members hailing from Wilmington and Newark, featured members as young as 6 and as old as 80. Joe DeRosa, representing the oldest generation, was in his 9th Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 22nd Plunge overall. DeRosa, wearing a black top hat and suspenders, described the Plunge as “better than bungee jumping.”
When it was nearly start time, Greg Quattrociocchi, a second-year participant from Newark, relied on his previous experience. “As soon as you hit the water your body starts to get numb, so I run hard until it dips then I face-plant.” As he returned to the beach Quattrociocchi said, “That was a rush,” as he and his team, ‘The Fred Beasley Experience,’ decided to make one more run into the water.
With family members and friends waiting with much-appreciated towels and blankets, shrieks from the cold and a few minutes of discomfort were a small price to pay to benefit Special Olympics Delaware, not only monetarily, but also through raising awareness about these athletes and the power of inclusion.
Dante LaPenta is a graduate student at the University of Delaware
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