Staff Reports
Since taking office at the beginning of the year, Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson has jumped into action, learning as much about the city as possible to guide it forward.
On Saturday, he will do a different kind of jumping.
He will be among the members of the Seymour Tsunamis team participating in Special Olympics Indiana’s signature fundraiser, the Polar Plunge. The team will take the plunge at Deam Lake in Borden.
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This will be the second year in a row for Special Olympics Indiana Jackson County to have a team participate in the Polar Plunge in Borden.
Joining Nicholson on the team are Jackson County athletes Alysha Sandlin, Nevaeh Ackeret and Dale Hickman, County Coordinator Crystal Ackeret, county management team members Mary Carlson, Donald Griffin II, Devin Stuckwisch, Roxanna Boles and Zach Spicer and Special Olympics volunteers Hannah Ackeret and Chloe Shepherd.
There also are Special Olympics supporters Samantha Sandlin, Meigan Vest, Gretchen Booher, D.J. Henkle, Jordyn Henkle, Kylie Boles and Helen Perkinson.
The team is a mix of people who will take the plunge Saturday and virtual plungers, who opted not to take a dip in the cold water and instead raise money online.
Money raised will go to 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 ages 8 and up. A portion of the money raised will go back to each county program that participates.
Funds raised will give more than 17,000 athletes around the state the means to train locally and compete at the state level in the sports offered.
To participate in the Polar Plunge, a person must be at least 12 years old and raise a “bear” minimum of $75 ($50 minimum for students with a student identification).
A few of the Seymour Tsunamis team members have yet to raise at least $75. Donations may be made online at https://www.firstgiving.com/team/397442 and clicking on the team member you wish to help. Cash or checks may be dropped off at The Tribune, 100 St. Louis Ave., Seymour, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today through Friday.
Last year, the Seymour Tsunamis raised more than $900. So far this year, the team is close to $1,000 and would like to go beyond that mark.
For the past two years, the Champions Together team consisting of Vest, the Henkles and Booher, all Seymour Community School Corp. teachers, took the plunge at Versailles State Park in Versailles. Last year, they raised $1,610. This year, however, they chose to join the Seymour Tsunamis and be virtual plungers.
At Borden, there will be 34 teams consisting of 368 participants. As of early Tuesday afternoon, they had raised more than $42,300.
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Donations may be made to the Seymour Tsunamis Polar Plunge team online at https://www.firstgiving.com/team/397442 and clicking on the team member you wish to help.
Cash or checks may be dropped off at The Tribune, 100 St. Louis Ave., Seymour, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today through Friday.
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What: Special Olympics Indiana’s Polar Plunge
When: 11:30 a.m. Saturday (registration starts at 10 a.m.)
Where: Deam Lake State Recreation Area, 1217 Deam Lake Road, Borden
Who: 34 teams, including the Seymour Tsunamis, will be taking the plunge; the public is invited to watch
Also: There will be an After Splash Bash following the plunge at Borden Junior-Senior High School; plungers get in free, and it’s $5 for guests; there will be lunch and live and silent auctions
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