Take the Polar Plunge and Help Special Olympics Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Special Olympics Kentucky is inviting both the brave and the bonkers to take part in the Lexington Polar Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Texas Roadhouse on Richmond Rd.

Participants in the event (also knows as Polar Bears,) are tasked to raise a minimum of $75  (or a $50 minimum for students 18 and under) and take the leap into a pool set up in the Texas Roadhouse parking lot.

The Polar Plunge features brave souls – many in outlandish costumes – taking the Plunge to help support the Special Olympics mission of providing sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Participants can register online at kentuckyplunge.com, create their own Web page, and raise money through the official Polar Plunge Web site. Participants can register as individuals or gather a team of friends, family or coworkers and register as a group.

All participants receive the official Polar Plunge T-shirt, but can earn additional prizes for raising more money. The Top three overall fundraisers will have their names entered into a drawing for a $1,000 travel voucher from AAA Travel.

Awards will also be given to the top fundraising teams in the fraternity, sorority or school group division; law enforcement division and corporate/civic division, as well as to the individual plunger and plunge team with the best costumes.

Afraid of the cold water? Once again this year you can register as “Too Chicken to Plunge”, raise money to support Special Olympics athletes just like the Polar Bears do and join us on Plunge Day. You receive a special Too Chicken to Plunge T-shirt instead of the Official Plunge shirt, but you are eligible for all additional fundraising prizes based on the total you collect.

There will also be an after-plunge party at Texas Roadhouse.

On-site check-in will open on the day of the Plunge at 9 am. The event’s traditional Opening Ceremonies, including the costume contest, will begin at 11am with the first Polar Bears hitting the water at about 11:30. Polar Bears can leave as soon as they get done Plunging, or they are welcome to stick around Texas Roadhouse for the Post-Plunge Bash and awards presentation.

Prior to Plunge day, there will also be an early check-in held at Texas Roadhouse on Richmond Road for participants who have raised all of their money on line or who are ready to turn in their money and wish to avoid lines on Plunge day. Pre-registration will be held on Thursday, February 16, from 4 to 7 pm.

The Lexington Polar Plunge is one of five that will be held statewide this year. Other events will take place in Lake Cumberland, Louisville, Northern Kentucky and Western Kentucky (Kentucky Dam Village). Last year Polar Plunge events held statewide combined to raise more than $425,000 to support Special Olympics Kentucky programs and competitions. In just the past eight years, Polar Plunges have raised nearly $5.5 million for Special Olympics Kentucky. Since the Plunge’s inception in 1999, the event has raised more than $7.5 million.

All funds raised by the Polar Plunge go to support the more than 7,800 children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics programs in Kentucky and the more than 2,000 volunteers who help run those programs statewide.