Can you imagine running into freezing cold ocean water in the middle of the winter? Well, for some students at Hawthorne High School, it will soon become a reality!

HHS senior, Natalie Tousignant, and HHS sophomore, Cielle Tousignant, along with some friends and family, will be participating in what is known as the Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside, New Jersey. The Polar Bear Plunge is a unique fundraiser to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics. Participants will pledge $100 or more to run into the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of the winter.

Natalie Tousignant, said, “I am a little nervous about how cold the water will be but I am really excited and glad that I will be helping fundraise the Special Olympics.”

This fundraiser will be held in two locations on two different dates. The first will be at Wildwood, NJ on January 18, 2014 at The Wildwoods Convention Center, where it will be warm for registration and changing. The Polar Bear Plunge has taken place here for the past seven years and has gained more popularity each year. The second location for the fundraiser will be at Seaside Heights, NJ on February 22, 2014, where registration begins at 9 a.m. and the actual plunge begins at 1 p.m. Big Joe Henry, DJ for radio station 101.5, will be broadcasting live from the site of the plunge.

In addition to the regular plunges, there will be a “Cool School Challenge” at Seaside Heights on February 22 as well. In this challenge, the school that is able to raise the most money will be crowned “Coolest School” and take home the “Cool School Challenge” trophy.

The Polar Bear Plunge is sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run which is a volunteer effort to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics by the Law Enforcement community of New Jersey.

So, if you think that this is something you would like to participate in, visit the Polar Bear Plunge website at Njpolarplunge.org. As stated on their website, “When the temperatures drop, the Polar Bears Plunge!”