Nan Auston will take the plunge for the third year in a row tomorrow morning.
CULLMAN – Like many retirees, Nan Auston hardly seems retired. She's lived in Cullman for 17 years with her husband, Cullman native and Navy veteran Keith Auston. They're both active members of Eastside Baptist Church. A few years ago, she accepted an invitation from friend Patricia McGriff to join the Cullman Pilot Club. That's where the fun begins.
"It sounded like something I'd like to do," Auston said. "I grew up with my mother telling me to always give something back to my community. We're a service club. Pilot Club does not take one penny of the money we raise. We help people, and we help different organizations: anything having to do with traumatic brain injuries. We all just love it, and you can make some very good friends in the Pilot Club. It's a marvelous organization."
Auston's love of the club is evident, both in her words and in her actions. This June she will take the helm as president of the local chapter of Pilot Club International. She's excited about the rummage sale, fashion show and other fundraisers she will get to preside over in the coming year.
Then there's the Polar Bear Plunge.
Two years ago, Auston traveled to the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center in Cullman on the first Saturday in January to throw herself into the outdoor pool. She said, "I did it the first time just to prove something to myself: to prove that someone my age could do it." Then she added, "…and survive it."
A gentleman doesn't ask a lady's age, and I'm a gentleman; but Nan Auston is not the least bit bashful. She volunteered, "I'm not ashamed of my age. I'm 68 years old. I might be the oldest person doing this."
Auston described the sensation of taking the plunge. "You can't breathe; it literally takes your breath away for a few seconds. Once you get in and get over the shock, then it's just cold! I jumped in, went all the way across the pool, got out and couldn't feel my feet. Your extremities will go numb if you stay in for too long,” she said. "But," she was careful to add, "it's also refreshing!"
Do note that Auston said of her 2015 plunge, "the first time." That does mean what you think it does. In 2016, she shared, "My relatives said they would donate money to the Pilot Club if I would do it again." So she did.
This year she's back, planning to hit the water once again to promote the work of the Cullman Pilot Club and maybe raise some money. Even for an event veteran, it won't be easy.
Auston admitted on Friday, "I stood outside a little while ago, wondering if I could do this again. It's cold outside!" She added, "I went to the doctor today for a regular appointment, and she said I could jump." Somewhere in the background, her husband Keith was overheard adding, "You haven't been certified unstable yet!"
Auston has been encouraging her friends to make contributions to the Pilot Club of Cullman to celebrate her plunge this year. She says that anyone interested can contact her via Facebook to find out how to contribute.
Nan Auston can be found on Facebook under "Nan Shirley Auston." More information on the Pilot Club of Cullman can be found on the website http://www.pilotclubofcullman.com.
The Polar Bear Plunge will take place tomorrow at 11 a.m. as part of Community Wellness Day at the Aquatic Center. The forecasted temperature at the time of the plunge is 22 degrees.
Copyright 2017 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
