Plunge into chilly Lake Mendota adds to Special Olympics funds

Well it was Leap Day.

So, more than 300 people decided to jump into a chilly lake to help raise funds for Special Olympics. That's about 60 more than last year.

Mendota Police Department members, dressed as gnomes, were the first to enter the ice-cold water of Lake Mendota on Saturday for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, but they certainly weren’t the last.

Individuals, clubs, organizations, businesses and schools had groups of brave plungers who ventured into the water and then got out quickly on an unseasonably warm last day of February.

"We're at about $59,500 right now. I'm very confident we're going to go over $60,000, which is a huge increase from last year, so it was awesome," said Alison Nichols, assistant director for Region A, 12 counties in northern Illinois.

A La Salle-Peru Township High School team raised more than $8,000 alone. Tweeted Thank you @LP_KWitte for the exceptional job organizing this year's LP Plungers! Kudos to our plungers whose collective efforts raised $8,649 in support of Special Olympics! #LPshines

"L-P had the biggest team and then St. Bede Academy raised the most money,"

Thirty-two participants from St. Bede brought in more than $9,000 in pledges, and 40 L-P participants had just a little bit less than that.

School administrators and leaders who took the plunge included L-P superintendent Steve Wrobleski, Jesse Brandt from Hall and the Rev. Ron Margherio from St. Bede.

Funds help cover lunches, equipment, facility rentals, the cost of hosting events, and more.

"Special Olympics doesn't charge our families or athletes to participate in the program," Nichols said.

It was the fourth year for having the event in Mendota.