ISP District 16 Polar Bears Dive into Icy Waters for Good Cause

Loves Park, IL – Illinois State Police (ISP) troopers, retirees, and ISP friends and family members plunged into frigid waters in support of Illinois Special Olympics.  On Saturday, March 1, 2014, the ISP team, also known as the District 16 Polar Bears, participated in the annual Polar Plunge challenge at Rock Cut State Park to help raise money for Special Olympics. 

All of the plungers in this year’s event eagerly took on the challenge despite the air temperature at plunge time being 15 degrees with the wind chill factor making it feel like an unforgiving -1 degrees.  The water temperature was equally challenging at 33 degrees, the coldest it has been in the ten years the event has been hosted at this location.    

"District 16 is proud to take on this challenge each year in support of Special Olympics,” said District 16 Lt. Todd Rohlwing.  “Special Olympic athletes have overcome so many challenges in their lives, they are our true inspiration,” added Rohlwing. 

The District 16 Polar Bears came in first place in the law enforcement fundraising division for the fourth straight year with a total of $4,840 raised this year.  The total money raised for Special Olympics of Northern Illinois at this location was over $115,000, with a total of 442 plungers participating.

Special Olympics Illinois, which began in Illinois with the first games at Soldier Field in July 1968, provides opportunities for more than 21,000 athletes, 40,000 volunteers and thousands more people statewide through 18 Area programs in all 102 counties of the state and it.  There are now more than 4 million athletes in 170 countries.

For more information about Special Olympics events in Illinois, please visit http://www.soill.org or call 1-800-394-0562. 

ISP District 16 Polar Bears take Polar Plunge to Support Special Olympics