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Polar Bear Plunge makes big splash in Rehoboth Beach
More than 3,500 Bears raise over $900K for Special Olympics Delaware
The Lewes Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics was held Feb. 3 in Rehoboth Beach. ROB WATERS PHOTO
February 5, 2019
The 28th annual Polar Bear Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Delaware included 3,544 plungers, aka Bears, raising more than $906,000 Feb. 3, in Rehoboth Beach. The air temperature was recorded at 43 degrees and the water 39 degrees during the 1 p.m. plunge.
The event, sponsored by Wawa, has now raised nearly $12 million in its 28-year history.
Special Olympics Delaware provides sports training and competition opportunities for more than 4,200 Delawareans of all ages who have intellectual disabilities.
The Lewes Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics was held Feb. 3 in Rehoboth Beach. ROB WATERS PHOTO
Thousands take the plunge in Rehoboth Beach for Special Olympics Delaware. ROB WATERS PHOTO
A panoramic view of the beach as plungers make the dive. CHRISTOPHER D. FOSTER PHOTO
Here we go! DAN COOK PHOTO
Nearly 4,000 people took the plunge at the 2019 SODE Polar Bear Plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Plunge! DAN COOK PHOTO
This photo, made with a 360-degree camera, is a surreal view of the Lewes Polar Plunge. CHRISTOPHER D. FOSTER PHOTO
Young and old took to the Atlantic for the 2019 SODE Polar Bear Plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Brent Finkbiner sent in this photo of an intricate sand sculpture.
The crowd of plungers races to the Atlantic. DAN COOK PHOTO
It took nearly five hours to complete this sandcastle by Andy West, Lenny Williams, Darrell O’Connor, Lynn Williams, Marc Schaffer, Adam Basalyga and Heather Williams. DAN COOK PHOTO
Wawa empolyees Tony Yakacki, left, and Dan Mills pose with Wally the Wawa Goose. DAN COOK PHOTO
Veronica Figueroa, center, from Dover runs from the ocean after taking the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Team Ant-Man are Michele, Ant-Man aka Anthony, Brandon, Jarred and Carlos Rivera from Wilmington. DAN COOK PHOTO
Coast Guard Auxiliary members volunteering for the Plunge are Michael Geletej, John Craig, Deb Roberson, Fran Doyle, Wally the Wawa Goose, Jerry Roderick, Al Liszewski, Tom Roberson, Bob Lippman, Joe Kulesa and Lewis McCillough. DAN COOK PHOTO
SODE staff members Gary Cimaglia and Lisa Smith go over last minute instructions for the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
SODE volunteer Bradley Beamer, left, applies a Polar Bear tattoo to Pure International Pageant Young Miss Delaware Sweetheart Amelia Kramer. DAN COOK PHOTO
Jim Lauser created ice sculptures for the event. DAN COOK PHOTO
Middletown High School students alumni and families raised over $10,000 for the event. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Wilmington University softball team took part in the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Jeremy Eglit, center, has taken the plunge for 18 years, along with his mother Jamie, left, and grandmother Marianne Smith. DAN COOK PHOTO
Elvis fans Parker, left, and Nate Bolton from Wilmington took the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Ginsburg Girls posed with the bear. Shown are (l-r) Wendy Schadt, Joanne Kempton, Karen Pererman, Patty Catanzariti, Tim (the Bear) Harper, Carla Costa and Linda Tobin. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Leasure Point crew are (l-r) Michele Klippert, Cheryl Miller, Nancy Pezzino, Kaitlyn Miller, Janet Fowler, Steve Miller and Lorna Wohl. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Pole-r Leprechauns are (l-r) Dan Randolph, Deb Randolph, Missy Baker, Steff Dimartine (capt), Joey Poppiti, Stacey Battles, Pete Disabitino, Bill Nichols and Pam Nichols. They raised over $15,200.00 for the event. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Hoppy Plungers get a picture before the jump. Shown are (l-r) Ginger, Joanne and William Aikens, Raven and Bill Polite and Tom Greenwood. DAN COOK PHOTO
There were lots of superheroes on hand for the plunge. The Delaware Department of Corrections-Correctional Plungers are (l-r) Tim Martin, Josh Wolstrom, Sarah Wolstrom, Roger Raney , Buffalo Wild Wings Mascot Jester, Samantha Wright , Mike Little and Bruce Morris. DAN COOK PHOTO
Gov. John Carney poses with the Dr. Suess characters. Shown are (l-r) Jeremy Coleman, Meghan Aiken, Gov. Carney, Rhonda Figueroa, Kelley Coleman and Veronica Figueroa. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Avelleyra family plunges each year. Shown are Nicholas, Michael and Diane Avelleyra, Tom Nichols and Elizabeth Avelleyra. DAN COOK PHOTO
Delaware Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf, right, poses for a picture with Gov. John Carney before the Polar Bear Plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Coast Guard dive crew walks to position for the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
SODE Director of Media Relations and Program Innovations Jon Buzby welcomes the crowd to the 2019 Polar BVear Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Delaware. DAN COOK PHOTO
Jeremy Eglit has plunged for 18 years. DAN COOK PHOTO
Wawa volunteers give a cheer before the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Longtime emcee and SODE volunteer Buddy West interviews Gov. John Carney. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Boardwalk gets crowded as the time for the plunge nears. DAN COOK PHOTO
Wawa manager Dan Mills, left, receives a plaque of appreciation from SODE Director of Media Relations and Program Innovations Jon Buzby. DAN COOK PHOTO
Longtime SODE volunteer Barbara Spence, center, helps in the registration tent with Jillian Mathews, left, and Leanne Evans. DAN COOK PHOTO
The NFL blind refs Nancy Lesher, left, and Sam Lesher. DAN COOK PHOTO
Colorful costumes were in abundance at the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
Greg Trimmer of York, Pa. plunged as Santa. DAN COOK PHOTO
Delaware State Police recruits Kevin Kelleher and Valerie Battles attach zone numbers on the Boardwalk lamp post. DAN COOK PHOTO
Irv and Phyllis Levin pose with Wally the Wawa Goose. The Levins’ matching program has raised $600,000 in the past 10 years. DAN COOK PHOTO
Reece Bolton, 9 months, is adorable as the mini-polar bear with her mom, Kate. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Boardwalk is crowded before the plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
SODE powerlifter Jon Stoklosa gets a Polar Bear tattoo. DAN COOK PHOTO
Rehoboth Beach City Manager Sharon Lynn welcomes the crowd to the 2019 Polar Bear Plunge. DAN COOK PHOTO
The Apré(l-r)s Plunge Party took place in the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Shown are Gabby and Beth Parillon. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Nothing like warm pizza and hot chili to warm the bones after jumping in the ocean. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Delaware Military Academy’s Jacob Byrom was one of the first ones in and then out. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Costumes abound, including penguins and dinosaurs. Shown (l-r) are Mark Schrader, Kati Takacs-Hayaes, Bhil Heath, Graham Bragaw and Kyle Emich. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Dressed in his bathing suit and bringing some class to the plunge was Rehoboth’s Bob Asinelli. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Sussex Riptide basketball team members (l-r) Sasha Hudson, Connor Watson, Ginger Shaud and Donna Walton smile big before jumping in the water. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Gov. John Carney cracks a smile as he walks over the dune and sees the madness. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Coast Guard Auxiliary member Al Liszewski cracks a smile while (l-r) Robb Dunne, Brendon Hurley and Larry Evans strike a pose. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
A quilt made from past plunges hangs at the after-party. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Cape Gazette photographer Dan Cook accepts a sponsorship award from SODE Director of Media Relations and Program Innovations Jon Buzby. CHUCK SNYDER PHOTO
Autumn Davis, left, enjoys some after-the-plunge food with her grandparents Joan and Chip Davis. With Autumn’s 10 plunges and Chip’s 28, they have almost 40 years of plunges between them. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
Brave souls - 3,544 of them - make the plunge into the chilly water off Rehoboth Avenue. TJ REDEFER PHOTO
Plunge participants were treated to a bright, sunny day in Rehoboth Beach. TJ REDEFER PHOTO
The Polar Bear Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Delaware celebrated 28 years Feb. 3 in Rehoboth Beach. TJ REDEFER PHOTO
Rehoboth Beach was the site of the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics Delaware. ROB WATERS PHOTO
The Lewes Polar Beach Plunge for Special Olympics was held Feb. 3 win Rehoboth Beach. ROB WATERS PHOTO
Plungers line the beach in Rehoboth before taking a dip in the chilly water. ROB WATERS PHOTO
The plunge took place in the ocean off the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. ROB WATERS PHOTO
Many of the local police departments had team supporting the plunge. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTO
