CULLMAN, Ala. – Brave souls of all ages braved the wintry waters of WildWater at Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism’s 2024 Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 20. The event was free with an optional donation to benefit the Special Olympics of Alabama. Over 100 jumpers were registered to endure the 14-degree weather, with two lucky jumpers bringing home the gold – well, a 12-month membership to the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center, and a set of four season passes to WildWater.
The morning began with a brisk playlist of pump-up music like Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby” and photo ops with a polar bear mascot. Jumpers joked and chatted among each other before a brief safety meeting led by WildWater General Manager Michael Schwitek to lay down some basic ground rules: strong swimmers only in the deep end, only two minutes allowed in the frigid depths, no hot tub or sauna afterward and be mindful of the dozens of other jumpers around you.
After the safety meeting, with ground rules laid and mounting anticipation, jumpers lined the perimeter of WildWater’s outdoor pool. Counting down from 10, hearts beating fast and holding their breath in suspense, jumpers made the frosty plunge; some got out as quickly as they got in, while others enjoyed the full two-minute allotment in the pool.
Residents David Samuels and Amy McCarley came out as the victors of the morning, winning a family membership to WildWater and a year membership to Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center, respectively.
Schwitek said the turnout was a record-breaking 140 jumpers – impressive for any plunge, but especially because of the ice storms that hit the Cullman community earlier in the week.
“We were thrilled with the turnout for this year’s Polar Bear Plunge event. We saw a record number of participants, despite the extremely low temperatures,” he said. “It was so much fun to be part of such a brave and exciting group of people that came together to support a great cause!”
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