Duane Hicks
The Voyageur Lions’ annual “Polar Plunge” made a big splash yesterday on Sand Bay, raising more than double what it did last year while also ranking as the second-best in the event’s history.
A crowd of people lined the dock behind La Place Rendez-Vous at 1 p.m. to witness 44 jumpers brave the icy waters of Rainy Lake.
Altogether, the jumpers grossed $16,394.35, which was split between the Voyageur Lions and numerous local groups.
Knox United Church was the top fundraising group, with the duo of Rev. Barb Miller and Randy DeGagne garnering $2,586 for the “Knox Renewal” project.
A team from Rainycrest Long-term Care, consisting of Nicole Gray, Naomi Danco, Russell Peterson, and Darryl Galusha, had the second-highest group total, raising $2,022 altogether.
Coming in third were Fort High Grade 9 students Shelby King and Ryann Scott, who raised $1,100 for the Rainy River District Women’s Shelter of Hope in Atikokan.
Cristian Windego, dressed as horror movie icon Freddy Krueger, won first prize for having the best costume.
He got $185 in pledges for the Voyageur Lions Club.
Laura Cochrane, who jumped for the Border Figure Skating Club along with Jamie Spencer, won second place. That duo raised $635 in all.
Brianna Eldridge, who took the plunge for the Church of the Holy Spirit and raised $350, got third place for best costume.
Fort High students Erika Handberg, Dany Michaud, Shawn Brady, Ian Jodoin, Graeme Kitt, Cameron Penney, and Cameron Gushulak together raised $1,000, half of which will go to a school trip to Montreal.
Ashley Payne, Jorja Caldwell, and Maren Scott raised $731.50 in taking the plunge for the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre while Dan Hettinga and Jake Esselink of God’s Great Outdoors together raised $490.
Bryanna Dustin and Nadia Webb jumped for Kidsports, raising $434.50, while Kerry Zub, Terry McMahon, and Charity McMahon together raised $325 in support of the United Native Friendship Centre.
Clara Collier raised $430 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation while Cindy Manty raised $360 for the Valley Adult Learning Association.
Taeah Park raised $138 for the Salvation Army, Stuart Kabatay raised $100 for Mitaanjigaming Hockey, and Jacob Perusse raised $30 for Ontario Special Olympics.
Meanwhile, two local Lions Clubs raised big bucks for their respective organizations.
Stewart Firth, Isaac Firth, Dee Drombolis, Danette MacIntyre, Joanne Ogden, Riley Ogden, and Dennis Ogilvie of the Emo & District Lions together raised more than $4,000.
Bill Michl, Wayne Lundstrom, Eric Blondin, and Dale Gill of the Voyageur Lions Club raised $1,557.35 in all.
Instead of T-shirts, participants who raised a sufficient amount of pledges this year got a “Polar Plunge” toque made by Diana’s Needle Art & Embroidery.
Voyageur Lion and 93.1 The Border radio personality Jonathan Price emceed the event.
Afterwards, plungers gathered upstairs at La Place Rendez-Vous for chili and hot chocolate.
