Statesman

Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News

Media Credit: PRESS PHOTO/SUBMITTED At the Polar Bear Plunge, brave souls jump into icy water to raise money for charity.

The Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE) has partnered with the Duluth Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics Minnesota. The partnership was the idea of a Senior Fellow of LSBE, Richard Brown, as well as Kjell Knudsen, the dean of UMD's business school.

"People don't always agree with what we do, but this time, we are doing the right thing," Knudsen said.

Brown had already been involved with the Minnesota Special Olympics from a charitable standpoint as he and his wife, Kim, both decided to start contributing to each of their favorite charities.

"I've never been in a room where everyone is just so happy to see everyone," Brown said in a press conference held on Jan. 28.

In order to get things started, Brown got in contact with Bill Fish, the vice president of development for Special Olympics Minnesota.

According to Fish, the Polar Plunge had 5,500 divers last year, raising nearly $1 million for local programs within Special Olympics Minnesota for 2009.

"Our goal is to reach the $1.2 million mark statewide this year," Fish said.

The campus sorority life is contributing to the cause by promoting and participating in the plunge. The girls of Phi Sigma Sigma could be seen in the hallways near the bookstore chanting the words "Freezin' for a reason" to the tune of "We Didn't Start The Fire" by Billy Joel.

One of them was even wearing a plastic hat with "Donations" written on the underside of the brim. Leah Shroer, one of the members wandering the hallways, said that she planned on taking the plunge dressed up as a giant grape.

Brown had this kind of enthusiasm in mind when he decided to take up this challenge.

"Last year we had 400 total jumpers [in Duluth] and not many were students," Brown said. "One of the goals of this partnership was to get students more involved."

Once the mayor's office heard of this event, Mayor Don Ness issued a proclamation, making Feb. 20, 2010 Duluth Polar Plunge Day.

"Anyone brave enough to jump into the freezing cold waters of Lake Superior in February has a warm heart and deserves a special day in their honor," Ness said in the proclamation.

Many of the participants of the event, whether it is through taking the plunge or donating, will be entered to win a customized snowmobile donated to the fundraiser by a local business.

"You are changing the lives of our athletes and helping them become better people," Fish said.

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