As Special Olympics Indiana’s largest fundraiser approaches, Dana Claycamp once again is considering taking a dip for a good cause.
While she may feel cold after participating in the Polar Plunge, it warms the Seymour woman’s heart to know she is making a difference.
The year 2016 marked her first time raising money for Special Olympics Indiana, but she has helped with several other causes over the years.
“I think everyone should find something they are interested in and volunteer at least a couple times a year at something,” Claycamp said. “There is a whole world of things out there to see and experience, so why not help a cause while experiencing something new? Everyone needs a bucket list. Despite all the negative and bad things in life, God gave us a beautiful world. We should all explore it if we have the desire to.”
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Doing the Polar Plunge in Columbus a couple of years ago, Claycamp said it was so cold the lakes were frozen, and it was raining ice that day, so a pool was set up in downtown on Fourth Street.
“It was more a personal challenge, something on my bucket list of life I wanted to do,” Claycamp said.
She estimated 130 people were there, a majority of them being local police officers and firefighters.
She participated with two good friends, Denise Beeler of Seymour and Norma Childers of Columbus.
“I think the three of us are going to do it again — not definite,” Claycamp said of this year. “I have fibromyalgia, and the cold is brutal, but not much stops me if I set my mind to it.”
Polar Plunge events are set at 16 sites around the state between Feb. 3 and March 3. An After Splash Bash follows each event.
The closest ones to Jackson County are Feb. 10 in Bloomington and Feb. 17 in Borden and Versailles.
To participate, a person must raise a “bare minimum” of $75 in pledges. People can create an online personal fundraising page at polarplungein.org and share it on their social media pages to encourage others to donate.
People should bring a copy of their online fundraising totals and other pledges collected should be brought to the site where they choose to plunge.
People also can be a virtual plunger, meaning they raise money but choose not to jump in the cold water.
Being a “super plunger” also is an option if a person can raise at least $4,000 and plunge at a minimum of two sites, including the Indianapolis plunge March 3.
Prizes are up for grabs depending on how much a person raises.
All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Indiana, a not-for-profit organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in more than 20 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It reaches more than 13,000 athletes across Indiana.
Those funds will benefit Special Olympics programs in Indiana, giving athletes the means to train locally and compete at the state level in a number of sports. The program currently is being revived in Jackson County.
Any Jackson County residents already signed up to plunge or anyone else interested in participating should contact Claycamp at 812-569-2438.
One local group — seven people who work for Seymour Community Schools — already has committed to plunging.
They include Meigan Vest, a special education teacher at Seymour-Jackson Elementary School; Gretchen Booher, a special education teacher at Seymour Middle School; Jordyn Henkle; a first-grade teacher at Jackson; D.J. Henkle, a physical education teacher at Seymour Middle School; Loriann Wessel, assistant principal at Seymour Middle School; Kathy Sunbury, a physical therapist; and Craig Owens, the school resource officer at Seymour Middle School.
They are plunging Feb. 17 at Versailles State Park.
Vest said she and Booher have done the Polar Plunge twice in the past, the last being in 2010.
Both years, Vest said they were awarded for raising the most funds. This year, their goal is $2,000.
“We are so excited to have a Special Olympics team back in Jackson County, and we want to show our support,” Vest said.
Their Polar Plunge team name is Champions Together, which also is the name of the partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics Indiana that promotes servant leadership among student-athletes while changing their lives and the lives of those with intellectual disabilities.
Students with disabilities in preschool through eighth grade spend the school year practicing a variety of events to be ready for a competitive event in the spring.
Besides allowing them to participate in sporting events, the program allows the students to prepare for getting involved with Special Olympics when they are older.
Vest said with this year’s Polar Plunge, they are hoping for good weather. The first year she plunged, she said ice had to be cut at the lake so people could jump in.
“As far as plunging into the cold water, we are still contemplating our outfits for this year and hoping it warms up a bit before,” she said. “But whatever the weather, we look forward to the fun and raising money and awareness for this awesome program.”
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Special Olympics Indiana Polar Plunge events will be at 16 sites around the state between Feb. 3 and March 3. An After Splash Bash follows each event.
They include Feb. 10 in Bloomington and Feb. 17 in Borden and Versailles.
To participate, a person must raise at least $75 in pledges. People can create an online fundraising page at polarplungein.org and share it on their social media pages to encourage others to donate.
People should bring a copy of their online fundraising totals and other pledges collected should be brought to the site where they choose to plunge.
People also can be a virtual plunger, meaning they raise money but choose not to jump in the cold water.
A “super plunger” raises at least $4,000 and plunges at a minimum of two sites, including the Indianapolis plunge March 3.
Prizes are up for grabs depending on how much a person raises.
All proceeds will benefit Special Olympics programs in Indiana, including Jackson County.
Any Jackson County residents already signed up to plunge or anyone else interested in participating should contact Dana Claycamp at 812-569-2438.
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