Special Olympics Illinois Super Plunge is Feb. 16-17
The Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run invites you to join the Polar Plunge elite and take the Super Plunge for the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.
The league of nearly 60 super plungers will begin jumping into Lake Michigan at Clark Street Beach in Evanston at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16. The Plunging elite will continue plunging once an hour for 24 hours until 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17.
All super plungers and their sidekick/support person will live in a heated tent on the beach during this event. Anyone who is ready to "be bold and get cold" can be a super plunger.
Past participants include students, law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers and various business professionals. Each super plunger is asked to raise a minimum of $2,500 to participate in this extreme event.
Plungers can register for the Plunge at www.plungeillinois.com or by contacting Sandy Nash at or snash@soill.org.
Super Plunge is the first of 23 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunges around the state, including seven in the Chicago area, that will benefit Special Olympics Illinois. These "traditional" Plunges are one plunge per person and the fundraising minimum is $100. Participants receive a cardinal red Polar Plunge hooded sweatshirt.
This year features two new plunges. Locations include: Feb. 17 in Carbondale; Feb. 18 in Evanston and Palatine; Feb. 24 in Bloomington, Carlyle, Mahomet, Mendota and Quincy; Feb. 25 in Fox Lake and Galesburg; March 3 in Benton, Chatham, Decatur, Effingham, Manteno, Oak Brook and Rockford; March 4 in Macomb and Yorkville; March 9 in Belleville; March 10 in Joliet and Champaign; and March 25 in Rock Island.
For information, to register for one of the plunges, or to support a plunger, visit the Special Olympics Illinois website at www.plungeillinois.com. Plungers are invited to join the conversation and share who they will #PlungeWith on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
This is the 19th year of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge. In 19 years, more than $18.4 million has been raised by more than 66,000 plungers. GEICO is proud to be the Statewide Presenting Polar Plunge Sponsor.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run® is the single largest, year-round fundraising vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The annual intrastate relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: To raise money and to gain awareness for the athletes who participate in Special Olympics Illinois.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run has raised more than $43 million over 31 years while increasing awareness of Special Olympics Illinois athletes and their accomplishments.
Special Olympics Illinois is a nonprofit organization offering year-round training and competition in 17 sports for more than 22,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities and nearly 20,000 young athletes ages 2-7 with and without intellectual disabilities.
If you are interested in learning more about Special Olympics Illinois, volunteering or providing financial support to help make Special Olympics programs possible, contact your local Special Olympics agency, call (800) 394-0562 or visit www.soill.org.
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