LEESBURG – Every year Pie-Eyed Petey’s co-owners, Roy and Barb Hamer, hope their Polar Bear Plunge raises more money and collects more nonperishable food items for the North Webster food pantry than previous years.
This year is no different.
“Well, I can’t believe it’s that time of year again already. Here, I thought it was almost just Thanksgiving and we’re already into January, and as you know when it’s January, the third Saturday we have our Polar Bear Plunge,” Barb said during an interview at Pie-Eyed Petey’s, 70 EMS T21 Lane, Leesburg, Thursday.
“We’re hoping to exceed our donations, which average around $2,500 to $3,000 a year in money; also we hope to gain more tonnage in food.”
The ninth annual plunge is Jan. 20. Doors open at 10 a.m. Participants can register until their jump, with fun beginning at 1 p.m.
“We will go in in small batches as we have in the past,” she said.
The first 100 people to register receive a T-shirt. The 2016 event had 120 participants. In 2017, with unseasonably warm conditions, about 154 people jumped into Tippecanoe Lake.
“We ask for a donation, of monetary or nonperishable food products. Food products will be delivered to the North Webster food pantry,” she said.
Checks should be made out to the North Webster Food Bank.
This time of year is a great time to help the food pantry because their shelves are pretty empty at this point, Barb said.
“As always, we look at this as a fun event. It is a very fun event. There are a lot of good times. It’s a nice time to meet up with people you haven’t seen for a while and reconnect and do a good service for the community,” she said. “However, it is a charitable event so we’re asking all of our patrons and all of our guests this year to please drink responsibly.”
The Kosciusko County Dive Team and the North Webster EMS will be on hand for everyone’s safety. Volunteers will help with parking.
The marina will be open for participants to dry off and change clothes as it has in the past.
“I recommend strongly that you wear a pair of old tennis shoes or a pair of swim socks into the water because it will save your feet if there’s any sharp rocks or anything down there,” Barb said.
Costumes are always encouraged. In previous years, participants have dressed up as everything from nurses and doctors to Star Wars characters, while some wore old prom or wedding dresses.
A beer tent and a tiki bar will be outside, with the indoors bar also being manned. Barb recommend purchases be done with cash to make transactions with the big crowd go faster, and an ATM will be available.
No outside bags or tents will be allowed. Bags and ID’s will be checked.
The Pie-Eyed Petey kitchen will be turned into a “food truck,” she said. Slices of pre-made homemade pizza will be sold for $6 for a quarter of a pizza, and chili and a grilled cheese also can be bought for $6.
The plunge will end at 5 p.m. The band Pickslide will play at 6 p.m. for the evening.
“We hope that everyone has a safe and fun time at the Polar Plunge,” Barb said. “Last year was fun, we expect this year to be even more fun. And just remember, everyone here is a lady and gentleman and we expect you to behave as such.”
