By Kim McDarison
Fundraising for the 2021 Wisconsin Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge closed Friday and members of the North Shore Chophouse six-member team jumped into the frigid waters of Lake Koshkonong on Sunday, Chophouse manager and plunge team captain Sarah Hausmann said.
The team raised over $3,500 for Wisconsin’s Special Olympics athletes, placing it in the No. 10 spot in a statewide fundraising ranking, she added.
Team members were all Chophouse employees and included Hausmann, Kevin Halpin, Sara Boney, Natalie Gould, Kailey Meschke and Megan Schultz.
With COVID-19 precautions in place, taking the plunge was different from previous years, Hausmann said. She has participated in the program for the past six years.
Usually the Polar Bear Plunge organization provides locations where teams can go to take their icy plunge, but this year, it’s website offered several options to help participates stay COVID-safe, she added.
Teams were invited to create an “Arctic Adventure,” with the website offering several categories in which teams could participate.
Among choices was a category called “Chillin’ at Home,” Hausmann said, which was the option used by the Chophouse team.
Ideas for Chillin’ at Home ranged from snowball fights to soaking team members with buckets of water, she noted, adding: “It could be something creative where you still create a very cold activity that gives people the incentive to donate to your team.”
Initially, she said, the team chose to set up a child-sized pool in the Chophouse parking lot into which team members could dunk.
When Jim Bowers, an owner of the Chophouse along with his wife, Christa, heard the plan, he had other ideas, she said.
“Jim decided if we were going to do it, we would go all out. He decided to make a hole in the ice on Lake Koshkonong. The Chophouse is located on Lake Koshkonong, so we upped the ante and decided to make a hole in the ice,” Hausmann said.
A chainsaw and other tools were used to cut a 3-foot by 6-foot hole in the 12- to 16-inch thick ice.
The hole was large enough for team members to safely jump in two at a time, Hausmann said.
On Sunday, the outside air was in the high 40s, Hausmann noted, adding that she didn’t know Sunday’s lake water temperature.
The team invited a small group of family and friends to watch. Adhering to social distancing protocols, many watched from their cars, she added.
Earning the No. 10 spot for fundraising across the state was very exciting, Hausmann said. Considering information earlier shared on the organization’s website, she estimated that at least 110 teams from across the state participated in this year’s plunge.
“The plunge this year was a big success. The goal was to raise $170,000 and they beat it by over $180,000. We did awesome,” she said, adding that monies raised in Wisconsin benefits Special Olympic athletes in Wisconsin.
Expressing pride in her teammates, she said, other than herself, only one other team member had previously participated in an event similar to the Polar Plunge.
“For most of the team, this was their first experience with a polar plunge. Koshkonong is not a deep lake. Most of us got wet to our shoulders if we dipped down. All of our team members were excited for the event. They jumped in with gusto. When we were back in warm clothing, all of them said the plunge was ‘not bad.’ They said they would consider doing it again. I will definitely do it again next year,” Hausmann said.
“It’s an incredible fundraiser,” Hausmann continued. “I’m passionate about it and it was fun being able to help facilitate building and then being able to participate with such an incredible team effort.
“It was incredible to see our North Shore family, our community and customers come together. It was very humbling to see the people come together for such a great cause. We look forward to giving back to the community, both statewide and here locally. It was really fun and we had an amazing time.”
To learn more about the plunge, visit polarplungewi.org.
North Shore Chophouse Polar Bear Plunge team members Kevin Halpin and Megan Schultz make their plunge into Lake Koshkonong Sunday.
North Shore Chophouse Polar Bear Plunge team members Natalie Gould and Kailey Meschke plunge into Lake Koshkonong Sunday.
North Shore Chophouse Polar Bear Plunge team captain Sarah Hausmann and teammate Sara Boney plunge into Lake Koshkonong Sunday.
Photos submitted.
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