Third Annual Polar Plunge Raises More Than $19,000

A family of penguins, police uniforms, kilts, and fire fighters were just some of the costumes that filled the lawn — and a chilly pool — outside of the Valparaiso University Athletics-Recreation Center on Saturday, Feb. 9, for the third annual Polar Plunge.

Valpo is one of six colleges to host the Polar Plunge, which benefits the Special Olympics of Indiana. With 83 “plungers,” the event raised a total of $19,728.

“Since it’s my senior year, it was something I wanted to do before I left,” said Valparaiso University senior Joseph Teeple, who jumped with the Copsicles and Phi Sigma Kappa. “Our philanthropy group is the Special Olympics, so it just seemed fitting that I plunge.”

The Copsicles were the largest group to make the plunge with 15 plungers in total. Together, they raised $5,931. The team included six Garber family members, with Chuck Garber, assistant chief of police at Valparaiso University, as the team captain. Emily Allen was the individual who raised the most money, bringing in $1,056.

“I just wanted to get it over with. We didn’t have our shoes on prior to the jump, so we had a head start on being cold,” said Nick Dziubasik, freshman and member of the Copsicles and Phi Sigma Kappa, on his thoughts the moment for the plunge. “They said it was 52 degrees, but it felt more like negative-50.”