CHESAPEAKE, Va. — We're getting closer to that mad dash into the frigid Atlantic, the Polar Plunge.
One team that's gearing up is the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office. They've been doing it for years!
Deputy Jahshua Johnson is looking forward to the icy dip next month.
"It's always a good time seeing the athlete's faces," Johnson said. "Always smiling and as we're jumping in with them, it makes me feel like they're appreciating, having fun, and that's the goal right there."
One of their regular plungers joining them, is Special Olympian Chad Allen.
"I'm ready for the plunge," Allen said "Yes, I'm ready!"
Lt. Roger Hausser is his plunge partner.
"So every year for the last 15 years, me and Chad have lined up and run into the ocean together," said Hausser. "S,o the smile on his face as we jump in the water is the best part of the whole day."
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And yes, sometimes the smile comes once they're out of the water. But it's a team effort.
"It's important to support the Polar Plunge to raise money for the awareness of Special Olympic athletes like Chad," said Undersheriff David Rosado.
"The funds that are raised for this event actually give these athletes the opportunity to participate in sports throughout the year: swimming, softball, volleyball, tennis, baseball," Lt. Roger Hausser stressed where the money goes.
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Lt. Col. Christopher Pascal, the Special Olympics Coordinator for the department, says the games serve a very important purpose:"To show they can do everything we can do. I mean they're just as passionate if not more passionate with sports. They're competitive; when they do these events, there's winners, there's losers—they don't give a medal to everybody just to give a medal! I mean they're taught to compete."
But it's not just the Polar Plunge, year-round the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office is doing activities supporting Special Olympics.
For example, another huge fundraiser they do is a competition that involves pulling a huge plane. The Chesapeake Sheriff's office, has won the title numerous times!
Their torch run raised over $15,000 last year. Collectively it's been a sizeable amount says Undersheriff David Rosado, "The beauty of this, we have raised since 2010, that's as far back as we can figure out, over $400,000 this office alone for Special Olympics Virginia."
Lt. Col. Pascal adds, "We are the number one fundraiser in this area, the Hampton Roads area for Special Olympics, top five in the state."
Plus their office hosts numerous events like their Splash in the Park in Chesapeake for the department's Elite Team of Special Olympians, who complete their 10-week academy that focuses on self-defense, physical fitness and nutrition.
For all those reasons, we presented the Chesapeake Sheriff's office with an Everyday Hero award along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank.
If you want to support the Polar Plunge, click here.
