Polar Plunge attracts record number
The water of Lake Junaluska was a balmy 41 degrees as a parade of 158 people — sanity questionable — lined up for a chilly dip as part of Haywood Waterways Association’s annual Polar Plunge this past Saturday.
The record participation — up from last year’s 120 plungers, also a record — brought in about $26,000 to fund the nonprofit’s environmental education work, with donations still rolling in. The top individual fundraiser was Haywood County resident Seth Early, with Shining Rock Classical Academy as the top school fundraiser and Haywood Regional Medical Center the top community team.
The money will fund Kids in the Creek, a hands-on learning experience that’s gotten nearly 12,000 Haywood County eighth-graders out exploring their waterways since its inception 18 years ago, and will also support some of Haywood Waterways’ other education initiatives.
