Plunge! Plunge! Plunge!
The Plunge consists of over 2500 participants and nearly twice that many supporters cheering on the brave and the cold.
The Polar Bear Plunge Seaside is the largest single day fundraising effort that benefits Special Olympics New Jersey. Participants are asked to raise money to take a mid-winter Plunge into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean. All proceeds collected by Plungers benefit Special Olympics athletes and help foster the Special Olympics New Jersey mission.
From its humble beginnings in 1992 of just 85 participants, to the waves of over 2,500 Plungers who make the dive for Special Olympics New Jersey today, the success of this event has helped more than 17,000 athletes train and compete free-of-charge, year-round in 22 Olympic-type sports.
THE MISSION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEW JERSEY
is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
THE MISSION OF GOLD’S GYM KARATE CLUB
is to make the Polar Plunge the most fun event possible, in order to gain the interest of as many participants as possible, to raise a lot of money in support of the Special Olympics.
Gold’s Gym Karate Club friends and members consider the Plunge to be the most stimulating event of the year. Our plunge group consisted of 20 plungers and raised nearly $6,000 for the February 2008 plunge. We arrange hotel rooms at the Aztec Hotel where the plunge originates and have a hotel suite with food and beverages. This feel good event is a real camaraderie builder amongst our friends and members and below is some of what they have to say:
“If a few minutes in the freezing ocean and a heck of a party can help provide a special needs child with a life time of happiness, I am there!” - Tim Moore, 6 year plunger
“Could not imagine a year going by that I did not plunge into the freezing Atlantic for the aspiring athletes of Special Olympics.” - Ron Coughlin, 7 year Plunger.
“It warms our hearts to do this for those who can and will and those who are no longer with us.. .and thankfully it warms our hearts ’cause we are freezing our butts off “! - Dr Jill Sheeley, 12 year plunger
“Certainly the most invigorating event of the year, if I could only remember being there.” - Bob Cassidy, 7 year Plunger
“A great opportunity to raise money and awareness for sonj.org, gather with friends for some fun, and bravely face the cold waters.” - Frank Sconzo, 5 year plunger
“Always a memorable moving experience. ” - Marcy Yousefinejad-Shrage 5 year plunger
Gold’s Gym has provided excellent support in recruiting plungers and we look forward to an even bigger turn-out in 2009. So, come on and take the Plunge!
Your Truly,
Golds Gym Karate Club
Plunge Coordinators
Tim Moore and Jill Sheeley
Happy New Year!
Be sure to add these events to your 2008 calendar:
Jan 18 - 21 Boys will be Boys Ski weekend, Poconos
Feb 5 - 9 Winter Special Training, Gold’s Gym
Feb 23 Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, Seaside, New Jersey
The location for the May 5 Shotokan Karate-Do Tournament has been set:
Montville Middle School Gymnasium
800 Old Colchester Rd, Oakdale CT
Details can be foud here:
http://jkany.org/files/2007SpringChampAnnouncement.doc
All tournament forms and fees must be received by Wednesday, May 2, 2007.
Send to: Robert Jacobs
411 Westford Hill Rd.
Ashford, CT 06278
Work phone: (860) 295-9524
Home phone: (860) 429-7067
E-mail: uconnjka@charter.net
Costs:
Individual:
- Black/Brown Belt Adult - 1 event $20; 2 events $30
- White/Green Belt Adult - 1 event $15; 2 events $20
- Under 18 (any rank) - 1 event $15; 2 events $20
Team:
- Any rank or age - $30 per team event
Accomodations:
All hotels are about 15 minutes from Tournament.
Relax Inn & Suites:
380 Bayonet Street, New London CT 06320.
860-443-3440.
Holiday Inn:
Frontage Road, New London CT 06320.
860-442-0631.
Spring Hill Suites:
401 N. Frontage Road, Waterford CT 06385.
860-439-0151.
Click here: PHILADELPHIA - 2007 Breast Cancer 3-Day
Karate family and friends: it’s not too early to think about saving lives. I have registered for the third year in a row to captain the traffic and security team. Please consider signing on as a walker or crew, as for me, I have never regretted any of the time I have spent in this worthwhile endeavor…
Ron
Upcoming event - Extreme Challenge 75 - Fearless Fighters - Mixed Martial Arts Cage Fighting at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ.
From the site: Fri. March 23 @ 7:30pm
Come and check out Professional Mixed Martial Arts Cage Fighting at the Sovereign Bank Arena!
The event features over 15 matches including some of the top professional and amateur mixed martial arts athletes in the Mid Atlantic region such as UFC and Combat in the Cage Veteran Sherman Pemdergarst, up and coming Heavyweight Jon Murphy, Tim Carpenter, and a rematch between John Doyle and Brendan Barrett.
Extreme Challenge 75 is brought to you by GHK Promotions.
This year’s polar bear plunge was a blast! Our team “Gold’s Gym Karate Club” raised $2,195.00 to help support the Special Olympics of New Jersey (SONJ).
The event was held in Seaside Heights, NJ this year, on Saturday February 24 at 1pm. In previous years, the event was held in Point Pleasant, NJ. Most of the group spent Friday night at the Aztec. If the pre-plunge party and plunge itself weren’t enough, everyong returned to the Aztec after the plunge to party some more. Many people stayed Saturday night too. We had at least six rooms reserved at the Aztec those two nights.
I checked YouTube for sightings of our group this year, but didn’t find anything with us in it. In any event here are some links to videos I found of the Seaside Heights plunge in general, which you may enjoy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AI1DYmj1VhQ
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vT9tYkIvE88
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fFPyhEyO63c
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-On6pviSVoc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GniNMv_-5BE
And as a bonus… While I was looking for Plunge videos, I think I found Tim from 2006 in Point Pleasant. You be the judge! Fast forward to about 30 seconds and watch…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZVfgzcCCIbY
Let’s get Gary to give me his video. I’ll convert it to digital and upload it to YouTube for everyone to enjoy.
Click the photo below to see the 2007 Plunge Photo Album:
Can’t wait for next year!
-Forrest
