Archived Outdoors

Taking the polar plunge

out polarplungeAround 30 daring souls splashed and jumped into Lake Junaluska last Saturday for the first annual “Polar Plunge” to raise money for Haywood Waterways Kids in the Creek program.

 

Becky Johnson, news editor for The Smoky Mountain News, was among the “deep water plungers” leaping head long into the 46 degree water from a dock extending into the lake, thanks to community donors who ponied up for the noble cause of Haywood Waterways — or maybe just to see her get dunked. The plungers sputtered to the surface and willed their flailing limbs to dog paddle back to the raging bonfire on shore.

A second wave of plungers then rushed into the water from the Lake Junaluska beach, surging forward as far as they could — some to their waists, some to their necks and some over their heads — until common sense prevailed and they turned back.

Silver painted toilet plungers were given out to top fundraisers and best costumes, which ranged from caped and hooded super heroes to hippies to mohawked punk rockers.

The Polar Plunge was a huge success raising more than $9,000 for Kids in the Creek. The long-standing Haywood Waterways programs puts every eighth grader in the county in touch with water quality and aquatic biology through a series of hands-on science lessons during an all-day stream field trip.

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.