Saturday's Polar Bear Plunge to benefit Special Olympics

CORTLAND — The Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Bear Plunge will be Saturday at Mosquito Lake State Park to benefit Special Olympics Ohio.

Participants obtain monetary pledges and then jump into the frigid waters of Mosquito Lake. A new opportunity in 2010 is “Too Chicken to Plunge.” To participate, one raises a minimum of $35 and is awarded with a “Too Chicken to Plunge” T-shirt.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. A costume contest is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the plunge starting at 1:30 p.m. A post-plunge party starts at 2 p.m. at the Trumbull Moose Family Center, 674 Main Ave. S.W., Warren.

Pre-registration and information are available at sooh.org. Local information is available from Mosquito Lake Plunge Coordinator Paige Ludwig at (614) 239-7050.

A minimum of $75 in pledges is necessary to participate. All plungers receive a T-shirt and goody bag. There are also incentive prizes for those who raise more than the minimum pledge.

The Mosquito Lake Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Ohio is the first of nine scheduled throughout Ohio this winter. Others are scheduled for Sandusky, Jan. 30; Cincinnati (a combined effort between Ohio and Kentucky Special Olympics), Feb. 6; Ohio University, in Athens, Feb. 13; Crew Stadium, in Columbus, Feb. 20; Geneva State Park, Feb. 27; Grand Lake St. Marys, in Celina, March 6; Greater Dayton, March 13; and Indian Lake, March 20.