Polar Plunge: Human popsicles trade Ramsey Lake for a tank

With the temperature in the positives, they weren’t exactly “Freezin’ for a Reason” as its longstanding slogan implies, but Saturday’s Sudbury Polar Plunge participants weren’t warm.

Shivering, grasping at towels and launching themselves into saunas, their plunges into tanks of water outside of Bell Park for the Greater Sudbury Police Service-hosted event wasn’t exactly a cake walk.

Even for local paramedic Carly Milne, who has participated in the event for the past five years, but still appeared hesitant to plunge into the water.

One she did jump in, however, the wide smile on her face, intermingled with gasps in response to the cold, showed her taking it in stride.

This was a common reaction from those who participated.

The day’s event is an annual tradition, which Greater Sudbury Police Chief Paul Pedersen noted in his opening remarks is for Special Olympics Ontario.

“We’re doing this so they have the ability to play their sport and be the best they can be in whatever sport they’re in,” he said.

For the event’s first nine years, it has been held on Ramsey Lake, where participants plunged into the freezing water.

This year, however, the ice wasn’t thick enough to support their effort, so they shifted to a nearby municipal parking lot.

As of this morning, the Sudbury Polar Plunge had raised $25,726 of its $30,000 goal. For more information on donations, click here.