NJ Cops March2018 | Page 31

ar nual Pol 25th An Bear Plunge All In At the 25th Annual Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, NJ State PBA Locals show why they keep returning to their favorite fundraiser The thin blue line spanned the length of the Seaside Heights boardwalk for the much-anticipated winter beach day. No rain nor winter winds could keep NJ State PBA members from flocking to the shore for their annual call to action for the Spe- cial Olympics of New Jersey (SONJ) Polar Bear Plunge. Take in the Plunge From the mass of state corrections officers to the first-timers to those who have plunged two, three, four or more times, read all about the PBA members who participated this year. 14 pages of coverage begin on page 32 Stories by Amber Ramundo and Mitchell Krugel Photos by Amber Ramundo PBA insignias marked busses, flags and members along Ocean Terrace and many of the side streets intersecting the main drag running through town. It was clear that the PBA had, once again, showed up and stepped forward to back SONJ so that every Special Olympic athlete across the state could continue to compete and participate without cost. As the crowd of 7,000 participants prepared for the dive into the 40-degree water, NJSPBA President Pat Colligan and Executive Vice President Marc Kovar took in the scene from the balcony of the Spicy Cantina restaurant. Even through the eye of the rainstorm that dampened the beach an hour before the 1 p.m. plunge, Colligan and Kovar weren’t sur- prised to see that hundreds of PBA mem- bers had come out to support the cause. “It’s amazing that on their day off, these members take the time to come out for such a great cause,” Kovar stressed. When the booming voice of NJ 101.5 radio host Big Joe Henry came over the speakers, the impact of the PBA’s com- munity support was made known as he stressed the immense aid that law en- forcement provides SONJ each year. “We have great support from a lot of organizations here today, but this event is driven by law enforcement,” he noted. To sanction the ongoing support of the NJSPBA, Colligan and Kovar presented Big Joe Henry with a $25,000 check for the SONJ, allowing the Polar Bear Plunge exceeded its $2 million goal by elevating the fundraising total to $2,048,158. “We would like people to know that right now in New Jersey, hundreds of po- lice officers are responding to calls that you’re never going to read about,” Col- ligan spoke over the radio waves. “They are heroes every day. Hats off to law en- forcement.” As PBA Locals stormed the shoreline with flags waving, each member focused on the reason they were about to take an icy dip in the middle of February. And beyond the unified call to action to sup- port Special Olympic athletes, members also found other motives. For some, the 25th Annual Polar Bear Plunge was about chasing the exhila- ration that hit when the waves crashed over them. For others, it was the rush of solidarity that built as the crowd of thou- sands dug their toes into the sand while counting down to the big splash. “It’s a thrill. It’s something you have to be there to experience,” Elizabeth Local 4 member Sean Campbell described. “It’s the feeling of unity, togetherness and ev- erybody is here for one reason and one cause.” There are plenty of reasons that so many PBA members commit to the event each year, and that may be why the Po- lar Bear Plunge is so easy to raise money and draw support for. But when the horn sounded and the stampede of Special Olympics supporters ran in unison to- ward the water, their reason for freezing was as crystal clear as it’s been for each of the 25 years that law enforcement offi- cers have come to the shore: to give SONJ athletes a tangible look at the crowd that has their back. “It’s a great organization and this is a simple way to raise money,” Jim Crowell of Rahway Local 31 noted. “Get a bunch of cops out here, we jump in the ocean, we have a great time. It’s an easy fund- raiser.” d www.njcopsmagazine.com ■ MARCH 2018 31