Polar Bears unite in the form of charity!

At 2 p.m. Saturday, January 16, the 10th annual Polar Bear Plunge at Chapman State Park will take place. The event is held as part of Warren County’s Winterfest, and sponsorship dollars benefit The Salvation Army’s Warren Citadel and its programs.

This 10th year will be a special year for Warren County’s Polar Bear Club – the group to which one may claim membership by participating in the event – as they will be welcoming Major Ralph Campbell of the Warren Salvation Army into the group for the first time.

The Polar Bear Plunge, “has become a significant fundraiser for the Salvation Army,” Campbell says. “It financially supports the many programs of the Salvation Army.”

According to Campbell, this year’s plunge needs to be “even more successful than in years past.”

Due to the challenges of this year’s national to local economies, Campbell says the Salvation Army was in need of more donations this year than before in order to support its community outreach programs. Polar Bear events take place worldwide, with Warren County’s being one of many in the United States geared toward raising money for nonprofit organizations. In Canada, Polar plunges, swims, or dips tend to be a part of New Year’s Day celebrations. They have been a Canadian institution since around 1920, the largest takes place annually in Vancouver with unregistered participation numbering into the thousands and observers upwards of 10,000 each year.

In the Netherlands, somewhere around 30,000 take part in the “Nieuwjaarsduik” or “New Year’s Dive” across the country annually since 1960. Scotland’s annual “Loony Dook” involves participants dressing in costume and parading through town before taking their annual plunge, or “dook,” often as a result of losing a bet.

Last year’s Polar Bear Plunge managed to register 73 participants. Campbell says they expect polar bears coming in from Northwestern Pa., New York, Ohio, North Carolina, and “even as far away as Florida.”

Those interested in becoming, or continuing to be, one of Warren County’s polar bears are required to register for the event. Registration forms can be downloaded from www.warrencountywinterfest.com/Polar_Plunge.html, or by calling the Salvation Army at (814) 723-8950. Registration includes a waiver stating that the participant understands the risks of taking the plunge, as well as sponsor forms. All contributions are to be made by a check payable to “Salvation Army of Warren County.” Completed waivers and sponsor forms may be mailed to the Polar Plunge c/o Salvation Army at 311 Beech Street, Warren, by Wednesday, January 13. They may also be brought with them to the event on January 16 or scanned and emailed to polarbearplungewarrenpa@gmail.com. Anyone interested in sponsoring Major Campbell may contact the Salvation Army to do so.

Those participating in the Polar Bear Plunge will receive a membership certificate for the Warren County Polar Bear Club. Those who raise sponsorship donations of $10 or more will receive a Polar Bear Plunge tee shirt. “This challenge continues to be a great bragging rite for men and women of all ages,” Major Campbell adds.

According to the Warren County Winterfest website, the plunge is dedicated to the late Patrick Shine, past chief of Glade Township VFD, and part of the Glade Water Rescue Team. Shine was, according to the website, “a very active Winterfest volunteer, supervising the Polar Plunge ice cutting and safety effort. He will be missed at Winterfest.”