LEESBURG – After the holidays, food pantry cupboards are often bare and people don’t always think about others in need of food. Every third Saturday of January, Pie Eyed Petey’s does something about that. “We start off the year by taking a plunge for hunger,” said Barb Hamer, co-owner of Pie Eyed Petey’s, 70 EMS T17 Lane, with her husband Roy. The Leesburg restaurant/bar/marina will host its Fourth Annual Polar Bear Plunge Jan. 19. Sign up starts at 10 a.m., with the jump taking place at 1 p.m. Proceeds from the event benefit the North Webster and Syracuse food pantries. “We want a bigger, brighter Polar Bear Plunge this year. We want more donations and cash donations. If someone doesn’t want to jump in, they can at least bring a donation,” said Hamer. Everyone who jumps must sign a waiver and will get a green wrist band to wear. They also get a T-shirt. “If you see someone wearing a shirt, that means they jumped in, or were with the Dive Team or EMS,” Hamer said. There is no cost to jump. However, Hamer said, donations are welcome. “We are taking food donations. We are grateful for all we get,” she said. Pie Eyed Petey’s staff member Michele Farkas said a person must be at least 21 years old to enter the restaurant/bar areas. Since the business permits smoking, Indiana law doesn’t allow anyone younger in the establishment. Participants must be at least 18 years old to take the plunge, and the changing facilities will be open to those under 21 jumping. “Hopefully, we won’t have to break the ice this year,” Hamer said, as temperatures may be warm Jan. 19.For safety purposes, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and Dive Team and the North Webster EMS will be on hand. In 2010 and 2012, approximately 80 people took the plunge each year. There were about 117 people participating in 2011. Those numbers don’t include the hundreds of spectators who come out every year for the day’s events. For those who come early, there will be biscuits and gravy for purchase. “We’ll have Screwdrivers and Bloody Marys to start with,” Hamer said. During the day, the kitchen will become a “food truck,” she said, and will offer chilli, grilled cheese and a large slice of pizza for $5 apiece. Event hooded sweatshirts will be sold for $35 each, with proceeds going to the food pantries. Farkas and Hamer said people should bring cash to the event to make their purchases easier and quicker. There is no ATM at Pie Eyed Petey’s. Hamer said they will have attendants to help with parking again this year. Overflow parking will be a half block off the lake at Petey’s put-in bays. The Tiki Bar will be open. “Dress for the occassion,” Hamer suggested. “Costumes are welcome.” When people plunge into the cold water, she said they should wear shoes or water socks to protect their feet. All tables have been reserved already for $100 per table on a first-come, first-serve basis. The table reservations started in December, Hamer said. Starting at 8 p.m. Jan. 19, classic rock band Taken will perform, Farkas said. “It’ll be fun. We’ll have a good time again. Hopefully, we’ll have good weather, too,” Hamer said. To help collect non-perishable food items for the food pantries, Pie Eyed Petey’s also is hosting Roy Hamer’s 65th birthday party this Sunday. All day, if a person brings in non-perishable food items, chicken wings are 65 cents each and draft beer is 65 cents. “It starts the year off right and it truly is a blessing to give,” Barb Hamer said. “No matter how much you give, it’s still an honor to give.”
