Last to plunge were Marian’s board members, Mr. Andrew Bauer, Sara Cipolla ‘14, Madison Kenney ’14, Paula Stevens ’15, Kayla Sullivan ’15, Erin Carollo ‘15 and Claire Adams ‘14.
Sophomore plungers make their way out to the mannequin.
Claire Adams ’14 waits with other board members for the plunge to begin. As president, Adams is responsible for planning meetings and organizing fundraising. “It means a lot to me knowing I’m doing something that will make a lot of people very happy. It’s just as important that we give the handicapped opportunities like this as well as the non-handicapped. We can’t forget that they are people just like us,” Adams said. Adams loves that along with being an outstanding cause, the plunge is incredibly fun. “I have dunked (gone all the way underwater) for the past two plunges. It’s quite an adrenaline rush.”
A plunge area was cut out of the 16 inch layer of ice covering Cunningham Lake.
Alex Trujillo ’14 cheers on her classmates during the plunge.
Ellen Townley
On the morning of Feb. 15, Marian’s 34 Polar Plunge members and their moderating teacher, Mr. Andrew Bauer, jumped into Cunningham Lake during Omaha’s annual Polar Plunge.
Polar Plunge is a fundraiser for Special Olympics Nebraska. “Special Olympics gives thousands of handicapped people great opportunities to make friends, build confidence, and participate in meaningful competition through athletics,” Claire Adams ‘14, Polar Plunge Club President, said. Despite the extreme cold, hundreds of participants from all over Omaha formed teams and embraced the plunge challenge: run into 40 degree water, touch a mannequin 15 feet off shore, and scramble out.
See videos of the plunge: preparing the ice , plunge
The Network '14 