VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Around 4,000 chill seekers raised $1.185 million for Special Olympics Virginia on Saturday’s 2018 Polar Plunge® Festival in Virginia Beach, according to Special Olympics Virginia.
The 2018 Polar Plunge® Festival was on Friday and Saturday, and brought out a variety of costumes, outfits and all types of awesome people, who helped contribute to a great cause.
“No longer is it enough to provide a place for people of all abilities to come together through sport. It is time to demand uncompromising inclusion— in school, employment, healthcare and social activities like the Polar Plunge Fest,” said Rick Jeffrey, Special Olympics Virginia President. “For our inclusion revolution to succeed, we need more rebels, heroes and fighters just like the participants who helped us raise more than a million dollars this weekend.”
Since 1993, Special Olympics Virginia has used the over $13 million raised through the polar plunge to help its organization.
More than 51,000 plungers have raised money and participated in the event since it first took place at the Clarion Hotel in 1993.
News 3 helped sponsor this great cause.
Fast Facts from the The 2018 Polar Plunge® Festival:
- 672 students from 15 middle and high schools raised $79,662 and made the Atlantic a little cooler Friday during the seventh Cool School Challenge, presented by Walmart. The top fundraising team, Plaza Middle School, not only took home some cool prizes, but several students also get to appear on WTKR’s morning show, Coast Live, this spring!
- Saturday morning, 435 people got cold feet for a cool cause during the Plunge 4 Miler and 1 Miler, presented by SunTrust. After each race, those brrrave enough jumped into an icy above ground finish line pool!
- More than 85 Special Olympics athletes, family and friends from the Fredericksburg/Stafford area (Team Area 11) took home the Top Team fundraising award, with more than $63,738 raised.
- Kevin Vogt raised $11,804 and claimed the top individual fundraising prize.
