Unseasonably Warm Temps Bring Big Crowd To Pie-Eyed Petey’s Charity Event
January 23, 2017 at 7:38 p.m.
By David [email protected]
By 1 p.m. 154 participants paid $10 each for a chance to jump into Tippecanoe Lake – up from 120 people in 2016. All proceeds benefit the North Webster food bank.
“I think there were more bystanders (than last year). It’s so hard to count them,” Roy Hamer, Pie-Eyed Petey’s co-owner, said.
The temperature was 54 degrees and the water temperature was about 40 degrees, according to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department dive team.
“It’s cold,” Dustin Robbins, Cicero, said after getting out of the water. “I lost both of my shoes. Unless you jump in yourself, it’s difficult to say how cold it is. It opens the pores up, I feel completely renewed. Every person should do it at least once.”
This was the fifth year Robbins took the plunge. He was with a group of 10, including a Marine, an Army Ranger and two Navy men.
Connell Pierce, a Marine Corp veteran from McCordsville, was jumping in with Robbins for the fourth year. In the Marines, he said they did some pretty crazy stuff, but not in the freezing water for fun.
“I had a blast. I love it. Every year I’ll be coming back for as long as it’s here,” he said.
Robbins said they do it every year because it’s fun. “You never know what you’re going to get. One year it could be 16 degrees, one year it could be 60 degrees. And it’s just a good excuse to spend 14 hours in a bar.”
The group wore carry-on costumes, which look like they’re being carried on the shoulders of a chicken, polar bear or a variety of other choices.
Kelley Deahl, Indianapolis, attended the Polar Bear Plunge with a group of 10, though only five were jumping. It was Deahl’s first year and they all chose to wear Funzees® into the water.
“My friends did it last year and it’s for a good cause and it sounded like good fun,” she said before jumping in.
Afterward, Deahl said, “It was really cold.” But she planned to do it again next year.
After missing the 2016 event, Brett Nelson, Chicago, was back with his friends for a seventh year. It was his daughter Manda’s birthday weekend, and the third year she’s taken the plunge. They wore Morphsuits®, and brought two newbies with them, Jake Sirois and Lori Freeman.
Edward Harness, Warsaw, was plunging for the third year with the “same group of friends, it’s a good time.”
He said they had eight to 10 people in their group with three newbies.
Chaise Belcher, Warsaw, was jumping in for the first time with his friend, Nick Wilson.
“It’s for a good cause and my buddies have made it look fun in the past. I couldn’t be happier about the weather today. When I saw them do it in the past, the channel was frozen. I couldn’t be happier. I’m excited.”
The lake had a thin layer of ice. The water level was high, reducing the amount of boat ramp plungers had available to run into Tippecanoe.
After the event, Belcher said of the water, “It was nice and chill.”
Wes Bush, Winona Lake, said the water was freezing. It was his second year for the event.
“I give in to peer pressure easily, and I have terrible friends,” he joked.
Pie-Eyed Petey’s co-owner Barb Hamer was pleased with Saturday’s turn out.
“The weather was lovely and it was very, very busy today. Everyone were ladies and gentlemen. I hope it breaks the food bank record,” she said.
Along with the KCSD dive team, the North Webster Tippecanoe Township Volunteer Fire Department had an ambulance on hand for participants’ safety.
By 1 p.m. 154 participants paid $10 each for a chance to jump into Tippecanoe Lake – up from 120 people in 2016. All proceeds benefit the North Webster food bank.
“I think there were more bystanders (than last year). It’s so hard to count them,” Roy Hamer, Pie-Eyed Petey’s co-owner, said.
The temperature was 54 degrees and the water temperature was about 40 degrees, according to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department dive team.
“It’s cold,” Dustin Robbins, Cicero, said after getting out of the water. “I lost both of my shoes. Unless you jump in yourself, it’s difficult to say how cold it is. It opens the pores up, I feel completely renewed. Every person should do it at least once.”
This was the fifth year Robbins took the plunge. He was with a group of 10, including a Marine, an Army Ranger and two Navy men.
Connell Pierce, a Marine Corp veteran from McCordsville, was jumping in with Robbins for the fourth year. In the Marines, he said they did some pretty crazy stuff, but not in the freezing water for fun.
“I had a blast. I love it. Every year I’ll be coming back for as long as it’s here,” he said.
Robbins said they do it every year because it’s fun. “You never know what you’re going to get. One year it could be 16 degrees, one year it could be 60 degrees. And it’s just a good excuse to spend 14 hours in a bar.”
The group wore carry-on costumes, which look like they’re being carried on the shoulders of a chicken, polar bear or a variety of other choices.
Kelley Deahl, Indianapolis, attended the Polar Bear Plunge with a group of 10, though only five were jumping. It was Deahl’s first year and they all chose to wear Funzees® into the water.
“My friends did it last year and it’s for a good cause and it sounded like good fun,” she said before jumping in.
Afterward, Deahl said, “It was really cold.” But she planned to do it again next year.
After missing the 2016 event, Brett Nelson, Chicago, was back with his friends for a seventh year. It was his daughter Manda’s birthday weekend, and the third year she’s taken the plunge. They wore Morphsuits®, and brought two newbies with them, Jake Sirois and Lori Freeman.
Edward Harness, Warsaw, was plunging for the third year with the “same group of friends, it’s a good time.”
He said they had eight to 10 people in their group with three newbies.
Chaise Belcher, Warsaw, was jumping in for the first time with his friend, Nick Wilson.
“It’s for a good cause and my buddies have made it look fun in the past. I couldn’t be happier about the weather today. When I saw them do it in the past, the channel was frozen. I couldn’t be happier. I’m excited.”
The lake had a thin layer of ice. The water level was high, reducing the amount of boat ramp plungers had available to run into Tippecanoe.
After the event, Belcher said of the water, “It was nice and chill.”
Wes Bush, Winona Lake, said the water was freezing. It was his second year for the event.
“I give in to peer pressure easily, and I have terrible friends,” he joked.
Pie-Eyed Petey’s co-owner Barb Hamer was pleased with Saturday’s turn out.
“The weather was lovely and it was very, very busy today. Everyone were ladies and gentlemen. I hope it breaks the food bank record,” she said.
Along with the KCSD dive team, the North Webster Tippecanoe Township Volunteer Fire Department had an ambulance on hand for participants’ safety.
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