Polar plungers hit the pool in Fox Lake for Special Olympics

Unseasonably comfortable air temperatures didn’t seem to help much based on the look on people’s faces Sunday when they hit the frigid water during the Fox Lake Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.

The event, in its 18th year, couldn’t be held in Nippersink Lake because of construction at Lakefront Park, so the Fox Lake Fire Department provided a 15,000-gallon Portatank filled with water in the low 30-degree range.

“I wish it had been in the lake, but this was still good enough,” said George Pugh, one of four Village of Fox Lake employees who dressed up as M&M’s for the plunge. “It was awesome, it really woke you up when you hit the cold water.”

The plunge had 140 participants who raised more than $40,000, said Jordan Feldman, Region B director of Special Olympics Illinois. That’s up from about $28,000 last year.

It was one of 23 plunges across the state this year, including 13 others this weekend. Feldman said Special Olympics expects to raise about $2 million from the events.

Grayslake High School District 127 special education teacher and Special Olympics coach Yolanda Vazquez were taking part for the third time, this year with a group of about 20 others from the district.

“I see the impact that Special Olympics has on the athletes every day, not just when they’re doing sports but in the classroom,” she said. “It builds their confidence. I really believe in their message.”