Polar Bear Plunge 2017 for Special Olympics
Finally taking the plunge for a fallen brother
Six years ago, Western Bergen County Local 79’s Chris Birch tried
to get his fellow members to join him for the Polar Bear Plunge.
Birch passed away in an off-duty ATV accident during the sum-
mer of 2015. So for the second consecutive year, Local 79 members,
friends in the Midland Park DPW and family members plunged in
his honor. This year’s group included 40 participants who all com-
bined to rent a luxury bus to travel to Seaside Heights. They even
had shirts made up this year to honor Chris.
“Chris is probably up there laughing at us, wishing it was cold-
er,” cheered his brother, Corey. “He’s either laughing or ticked off
because he tried to get all of us in the past to come with him but we
didn’t want to do it. He loved doing this event.”d
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ MARCH 2017