Police, firefighters take chilly plunge for Special Olympics

Air temperatures may have been warmer than usual for February, but the waters of Twin Lakes in Palatine were plenty frigid Sunday for the brave participants of the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics.

More than 350 people - many of them representatives of local police and fire departments - dove into the ice covered lake to raise money for Special Olympics athletes in the North and Northwest suburbs.

"We have teams come back year after year. This is awesome," said Alexandra McMillin, manager of communications at Special Olympics Illinois.

Plungers came dressed for the occasion, wearing superhero costumes or, in the case first-timer Diane Lawrence, dressed as a penguin.

"It's for a great cause and for a great team," said Lawrence, who plunged on behalf of the Carpentersville Police Department. "I wish it was a little warmer and I hope not to have a heart attack. It's all for the kids."