Fifth annual Polar Plunge at St. Clair College

More than 160 participants were jumping into icy cold water for a worthy cause.

The Polar Plunge for Special Olympics is in its fifth year in Windsor, and took place on Feb.15 at St. Clair College SportsPlex. The goal was to raise $60,000 in Windsor–Essex and $400,000 in Ontario as a whole.

Members of Windsor Police Service, the OPP and the Canadian Armed Forces were also there to make the plunge.

“I just want to thank St. Clair College that’s been our partner in this for all five years and has been a great help to us,” said Windsor Police Service Staff Sgt. Jeff Mailloux.

Andre Houad was part of a team of 12 Caesars Windsor employees who came to the SportsPlex in support of Special Olympics Ontario. Houad and his team members wore different kinds of fun and silly costumes, such as the Flintstones.

“You know, we’re doing it for a good cause, this is my first time, it’s an adventure, it wakes you up that’s for sure, it’s just giving back,” said Houad. “Once you’re in, you wanna get out but you know you walk into a warm building which really is very convenient.”  

A unit from the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve Windsor Regiment was also at St. Clair College SportsPlex to take part in the event.

“It was a good experience, it’s chilling for sure. An experience that you can’t get anywhere else except in a polar plunge pool or going up to the Arctic or a really cold lake,” said Austin Comtois, a representative of the Canadian Armed Forces. “As a unit we go over and do it and we give our donations in and support and causes, so it’s a good thing to do in the community I think.”

The weather in Windsor–Essex was just under 0 degrees with a -13C windchill, but that did not deter plungers.