26th Annual
Polar Bear
Plunge
Plainsboro’s
‘Miracle on Ice’ water
It wasn’t quite taking on the 1980
Soviet Union Olympic hockey team,
but members of Plainsboro Local 319
certainly conquered the cold (pun in-
tended) in true U.S.A. fashion when
they rushed the Atlantic donned in
jerseys such as that of Mike Eruzione,
the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team
captain who scored the game-winning
goal to complete the famed “Miracle
on Ice.”
“It was a throwback,” Plainsboro
Patrolman Nick Fazio confirms about
the jersey. “Obviously, we’re down
here for the Special Olympics, but just
to show the camaraderie between the
guys, we put on some U.S.A. gear and
went with it.”
While the jerseys might have been
a new tradition, the Plainsboro plung-
ers also continued the custom of fly-
ing their iconic flag and banner, which
can be seen in Polar Bear Plunge pho-
tos going back years.
Along with friends and family, about
10 Local 319 members plunged, so
they have acquired some experience
about what to expect when they hit
the ice (water).
“I don’t think it’s possible to have
any strategy,” he informs. “You just
close your eyes and go forward and
hope for the best and make sure ev-
erybody comes out safe on the other
end.”
Mercer County Sheriff s have
a new polar bear on the block
For the past three years, members
of Mercer County Sheriff’s Officers Lo-
cal 187 have made the most out of the
Seaside Heights Polar Bear Plunge by
turning the event into a weekend-long
getaway down the shore. This year, Lo-
cal 187 once again rented a house in the
middle of the action on Blaine Avenue,
but the team attracted more attention
than usual with the addition of a friend-
ly polar bear mascot who greeted every
passerby.
A closer look inside the costume re-
vealed Local 187 member Phillip Alto-
belli, who stood guard at the steps of
the Local 187 rental. Altobelli sought
out the inflatable polar bear costume,
knowing that it would be perfect for the
occasion. But it wouldn’t be a true Alto-
belli Polar Bear Plunge ensemble with-
out some personal flair provided by his
brother, who each year makes Altobelli
60
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ MARCH 2019
a custom vintage bathing suit for the
plunge.
“My brother works in costume design
and makes me these 1930s two-piece
bathing suits. They’re hysterical,” Alto-
belli shared. “This year, I went with the
polar bear and he made the blue line
sash.”
The 12 team members of Local 187
know that each year that they sched-
ule the weekend trip at Seaside, they’re
guaranteed to build camaraderie, but
the plungers never lose sight of the
real reason they’re there — to support
Special Olympics. This year, the Local
raised more than $4,600 for the cause,
bringing their fundraising total to more
than $10,000 in three years.
As Altobelli shared this great accom-
plishment, a group of young children
gathered close by, waiting patiently for
an opportunity to meet the polar bear
and take a picture.
“The community environment here
is something you don’t get anywhere
else,” Altobelli said, recognizing an-
other reason why Local 187 enjoys the
mid-winter trip to the beach. “It’s like
one big happy family. It’s so positive
and just awesome to get involved with.”