After a week of freezing temperatures, jumping into a body of cold water might not sound like the most enticing Saturday activity, but that’s exactly what dozens of Fairfax County residents are expected to do at two upcoming charitable events.
First, Special Olympics Virginia will bring its annual Polar Plunge to the Mosaic District in Merrifield tomorrow (Saturday) from noon to 2 p.m.
“Break out your swimsuit, because it’s time for a chilly pool plunge with several hundred of the coolest Special Olympics supporters in Northern VA!” the event page says. “We’ve got cool incentives and a costume contest for the fanciest plungers!”
Located on District Avenue, the event will start check-ins at 11 a.m., followed by a costume contest and awards presentation. The actual plunge is expected to start at 1:15 p.m. and will continue until all participants have finished.
Registration is free, but participants are required to raise at least $100, and all attendees are expected to raise a minimum of $25.
The Mosaic District has been hosting Polar Plunge events since 2019, though it took a year off in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Raising close to $1.5 million every year to support Special Olympics athletes, the campaign also has planned events in Prince William County, Virginia Beach and Radford.
Kiwanis Polar Dip returns to Reston
Though Special Olympics Virginia has a Northern Virginia office just outside Fairfax City, anyone looking to support even more local charities by braving cold water will get an opportunity next week when the Kiwanis Polar Dip returns to Reston.
The Kiwanis Club of Tysons partnered with the Lake Anne Washington Plaza Merchants Association for its first polar dip at the village center last year, taking over the fundraising event that had been organized by Camp Sunshine for 15 years.
Previously known as the Virginia Polar Dip, the event has raised over $1 million for Reston-area nonprofits over the past 19 years, according to organizers.
The 2024 Kiwanis Polar Dip drew about 100 participants and raised around $25,000, event chairperson Jeffrey Wolff told FFXnow.
“We are expecting about the same if not a bit more this year,” he said when asked about the anticipated attendance.
With a fundraising goal of $30,000, this year’s polar dip will benefit Food for Neighbors, Kiwanis youth programs in the county area and Camp Sunshine, which provides retreats for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
The polar dip will take place, rain or shine, at Lake Anne Plaza on Saturday, Feb. 1. Registration starts at 12:30 p.m., with the jump coming at 2 p.m. Starting at 11 a.m., the event will be accompanied by a winter market.
Everyone who registers, including on site on the day of the dip, will get souvenirs “while supplies last,” according to the press release.
Sponsors include Northwest Federal Credit Union, the Kiwanis Club of Fredericksburg, Reston Association, Reston Community Center, DJ QuickSpin, the UPS Store at South Lakes, the Fairfax County Cold Water Dive Team and Photography by Scott Ripley.
Established in 1998, the Kiwanis Club of Tysons is dedicated to community service, which comes in the form of fundraising and service projects.
