2015 POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Kovar leads PBA splash at Polar Bear Plunge
Bundled up in his frothiest winter attire, Executive Vice-President Marc
Kovar greeted members at the NJ State PBA trailer parked at the Seaside
Heights Boardwalk on Feb. 21. The splashdown for the 2015 Polar Bear
Plunge was still about two hours away, but Kovar seemed anxious to make
his contribution to the cause.
He was anxious, but proud to be participating considering those who had
stepped up the way he was about to.
Finally, it was time. So Kovar climbed the steps to the second-floor deck
of the Spicy Cantina where New Jersey 101.5’s Big Joe Henry was broadcasting live.
“I’d like to introduce my very good friend, Mike, uh Marc, Kovar,” Big Joe
told his listeners.
After a few technical difficulties, Kovar announced, “It is my pleasure to
represent the State PBA to present this check for $25,000 to the Polar Bear
Plunge for Special Olympics. We are proud of our great men and women
who have come out here today in the freezing cold to show that law enforcement officers are the good guys. Even the cold weather won’t keep us from
doing whatever we can to help our communities, our residents and, especially, those who need our help the most.”
Kovar went on to give props to Kevin Lyons, the NJ State PBA liaison to
Special Olympics, who contributed more than most people will know to the
raising of the $1.7 million from the 2015 Polar Bear Plunge. He also cited the
work of State Corrections Local 105, which again this year came out with a
plethora of members who took the plunge and accentuated the PBA contributions at the event.
In a more private moment, Kovar expanded on how much it meant to be
at the Polar Bear Plunge. He was actually carrying on a commitment and tradition that has long made the NJ State PBA one of the signature sponsors of
the Plunge.
“I saw Mike Madonna do it. I saw Tony Wieners do it. I really feel like it’s
a great honor to present that check,” he confided.
Affection and admiration are very sincere from Kovar, so you know what
it meant to be in Seaside Heights representing the State PBA, following in
the footsteps of the past PBA Presidents who presented the check. And he
sent up even more admiration before the day was out.
“I just can’t say enough about all our members who jumped in that
water,” he added. “I don’t know if I have the cojones to do it, but God bless
them all. They are making a heck of a statement that this is what our members do. And as long as the PBA is involved, our participation and contribution will get higher and higher every year.” d
Grin one for the kids
So, why is this woman smiling?
You might recognize her as Meg Hammond, NJ State PBA Executive
Board Member and State Delegate for Raritan Township Local 337. She is
sporting that grin from the beach at the 2015 Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside
Heights where Hammond feels right at home in the 23-degree weather,
getting ready to splash into water that is just as cold.
So why is she smiling?
“I was sober, too,” mused Hammond who was on the most natural high
there is on this day. “You know why? Because we raised $1.7 million for Special Olympics and all we had to do was jump in the water. Just too much
fun.”
Now, Hammond claims to be the original Polar Bear. She was born and
raised in Alaska, so what everybody called the Polar Bear Plunge was probably a spring day where Hammond grew up.
But that’s not why she is smiling.
“Anything you do with a group of people brings you together and brings
out the humanity and it’s such a good feeling,” Hammond explains. “Why
wouldn’t you want to extend that to everybody else, whether it’s jumping
in the water or playing sports with kids who don’t get the opportunity to do
that normally. It’s the same thing. We’ll do anything for people like that.”
What Hammond learned being out in the frozen Yukon no doubt
helped her stay warm waiting to take the Plunge.
“You’re fine if you dress right,” she said.
What is dressing right for this occasion?
“Layers of clothing,” she added. “Definitely, layers.”
But staying warm before, during and after the Plunge is not really a state
of dress. It’s a state of mind, which is why so many of the more than 6,000
plungers this year were law enforcement officers. They have the tough, yet
all-for-one mindset that underscores the Polar Bear Plunge.
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■
MARCH 2015
“OK, maybe it’s not the brightest thing I have ever done,” Hammond
submits. “Everybody will tell you it’s crazy. Yeah, but it’s really not as bad as
you think. Everything is all in your mind. You can do anything for a couple
of minutes when the cause is worth $1.7 million. It’s a good time, and it’s
for the kids.”
So make no mistake, Hammond is smiling because of the sheer madness that is the Polar Bear Plunge. Cops go to the extreme every day, so
when you can do it on a day at the beach and help create opportunities for
Spec