Why Polar Plunge?

Post on January 24, 2019 in Community

For the second year in a row, a team of more than 20 Clackamas staff, friends and family will run screaming into the Columbia River in late February as part of the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Oregon! Our CEO, Aaron Goff, will be joining us AFTER participating in the Super Plunge – that’s a plunge every hour for 24 hours!

Yes, it’s really cold. No, we don’t get to wear a wetsuit… so why do we do it?

» It isn’t just sports

Special Olympics is not just nice, not just a charity and not just sports. Special Olympics impacts the lives of its athletes in ways that affect their lives and our society well beyond just an occasional feel-good sporting event.

Special Olympics gives visibility to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and promotes their inclusion in society. It provides opportunities for them to be recognized and cheered, to develop better physical health, demonstrate courage, experience joy and share their gifts, skills and friendship with the community.

In 1997, Special Olympics’ Healthy Athletes program began offering free health screenings and education to Special Olympics athletes in a welcoming, fun environment. Since then Special Olympics has delivered over 2 million free health screenings and trained more than 260,000 health professionals and students to treat people with intellectual disabilities.

» It’s local

The Polar Plunge event in Portland provides funding for programs local to the Portland metro area – programs that enrich the lives of thousands of Oregonians in Clackamas County and the surrounding area.

» It’s fun… really
Although it is cold and a bit… shall we say “bracing”, our team really has a great time at the Plunge. Special Olympics puts on a terrific event with food and music, vendor booths and hundreds of spectators. If freezing water isn’t your thing, consider donating and then coming out to watch the fun!

To find out more:

» Donate to the Clackamas “CU in the Water” Plunge Team
» Read more about Special Olympics Oregon
» Read more about the Portland Polar Plunge Event