ar
nual Pol
25th An
Bear Plunge
First-year freezers from West Essex
Members of West Essex Local 81 are
used to showing their support for SONJ
by taking some hard hits and running
routes at the Snow Bowl each year. But
for the first time, Local 81 State Delegate
Brett Keepers decided that this winter,
his Local would freeze for that same rea-
son at the Polar Bear Plunge.
“I don’t think there’s a better foun-
dation out there to support,” Keepers
stressed. “I have a close family friend
who has special needs, so whenever I see
a chance to help the Special Olympics, I
come running.”
Keepers was joined by Local 81 mem-
ber Justin Eavey, who, after completing
his first year on the job, found that the
fundraising event was also a great place
to network and connect with officers
across the state.
“I’m bumping into a few people that
I went through the police academy with
and getting to meet some of the people
that they work with,” Eavey shared. “I
was also fortunate enough to meet the
NJ State PBA president and vice presi-
dent for the first time.”
As Keepers and Eavey walked along
the Seaside Heights Casino Pier, they
took mental notes and digital pictures of
the PBA Locals who made their support
known by bringing busloads of members
and supplies to the boardwalk for the
cause. It didn’t take long for Keepers to
decide that it was his goal to make Lo-
cal 81 a boisterous presence at the Polar
Bear Plunge in years to come.
“This is the next project for [Local 81],”
Keepers noted. “Between the tents, PBA
trailer, buses, and seeing thousands of
people here walking around supporting
a great cause, it’s already been a hum-
bling experience and we haven’t even
jumped in the water yet.” d
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ MARCH 2018 43