There's nothing like a refreshing plunge into the lake at camp, especially in February. The fifth annual Hill City Polar Plunge is coming next month to the Lynchburg area.
If you've never participated in the Polar Plunge, maybe this is the year for you. The event is one of four Polar Plunges to benefit Special Olympics Virginia being held across the state.
The Hill City Polar Plunge will be held at Camp Hydaway on February 16. Last year's event raised more than $24,000 for Special Olympics athletes in Virginia.
Special Olympics Virginia is working with Liberty University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America to prepare for the event.
Olivia Witherite, Liberty's PRSSA student director said, "We are very excited to help host the Polar Plunge." This is Witherite's second year working with Special Olympics Virginia.
Although Liberty Athletics is very involved in the fundraising efforts, Witherite said, "We want this to be an event where the whole student body and members of the community come together for a fun event, while raising money and awareness for Special Olympics Virginia at the same time."
The Polar Plunge in Lynchburg is part of the half-day Hill City Polar Plunge Festival which will be held at Camp Hydaway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The festival is free and open to the public. Registration for the Hill City Polar Plunge is open to all. You can register at the First Giving website and can see more photos from last year's event at the group's Facebook page.
There will be food, games and prizes at the festival. Live music will be performed by several local bands before the plunge, which will take place at 2 p.m.
More than 50 participants are currently signed up to take the plunge; however, organizers expect to see about 150 take the Polar Plunge this year in Lynchburg.
Cameron Schieldt, an account executive with Liberty's PRSSA said, "Putting together a team of coworkers, friends or family to raise money and plunge can be so rewarding because it allows intellectually disabled individuals to compete in the Special Olympics."
The Special Olympics of Virginia serves more than 10,000 athletes through seven regional offices and 30 area programs, including the Piedmont Region, which serves Lynchburg and the surrounding areas.
Three other Polar Plunges will take place across the state at Virginia Beach on Feb. 1-2 and in Northern Virginia and Radford on March 2.
So gather your friends, coworkers or family members and prepare to take the plunge. You'll have a lot of fun and will enable Special Olympics athletes to have a lot of fun, too.
You can read about ski season in Central Virginia, the upcoming Resolution Run and more about winter outdoor activities in Lynchburg at the links below.
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