Special Olympics New York is preparing for its ninth annual Splish Splash Polar Plunge in Calverton on Saturday, April 26, inviting participants to take a dip in the cold waters to support local athletes.
“It’s an amazing opportunity—definitely a bucket list item and a great way to show support for athletes and the community,” said Alexis Dawson, director of development with Special Olympics New York.
In an interview with South Shore Press, Dawson explained how the Polar Plunge helps support Long Island athletes in their pursuit of a Special Olympics sport.
“We offer 22 Olympic-style sports to athletes with intellectual disabilities. On average it costs about $500 per year per athlete to compete,” she said. The fundraiser helps to defray the costs, which include uniforms, equipment, and travel.
She noted that the Special Olympics allows participants to “do stuff that they normally wouldn’t be able to do. It’s a great way for them to make friends, stay healthy, and be a part of their community and experience things they might not have experienced due to their disability.”
Special Olympics offers three seasons of training: winter, summer, and fall, with choices ranging from powerlifting to snowshoeing. Depending on their performance, athletes can move on from local challenges to the nationals and even internationals.
The Special Olympics has grown tremendously since Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of John F. Kennedy, started a summer camp in her backyard in 1962 for a sister with intellectual disabilities. By 1968, the idea had really kicked off with the first international Special Olympics Games held in Chicago, according to specialolympics.org.
Today every state in the nation has a Special Olympics program, and according to Dawson, there are approximately 42,000 Special Olympics athletes in New York alone, with over 4,000 in Long Island.
The idea of raising funds with a polar plunge at Splish Splash came from the Riverhead Police Benevolent Association, she recalled. Even during COVID, people plunged virtually to provide their support.
Based on registration so far, Dawson predicts a banner turnout this year, saying “This is our ninth year doing this event. It’s grown a lot. This year alone we’re going to have over 300, which is going to be our most ever.”
Participants can register the day of the plunge from 10 a.m. through 11 a.m., and plunge waves begin at 11:30 a.m., according to the Special Olympics website. The water park, which officially opens for the 35th season on May 24, is located at 2549 Splish Splash Drive in Calverton.
“It’s going to be a really fun day,” said Dawson, thanks in large part to Splish Splash, which not only donates the space but sponsors a team. “They’ve been very good to us.”
For more information visit https://www.splishsplash.com.