Imagine this: a crowd of hundreds, outfitted in whacky, outrageous costumes—from Willy Wonka to Viking warriors—descends on the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of winter. Is it a movie scene? A convention? Hardly. In this case, the Virginia Beach oceanfront swarms with enthusiastic participants for the annual Polar Plunge benefiting Special Olympics of Virginia.
The organization’s Polar Plunge campaign includes upcoming events in Fairfax (Jan. 25), Virginia Beach (Feb. 7–8), Woodbridge (Feb. 15), and Radford (March 1). Last year’s series of plunges raised a total of $2.1 million designated for training and competitions for Special Olympics Virginia athletes. Beyond record-setting fundraising, “it’s also critical in bringing awareness to our community,” says Sean Wallach, director of marketing and outreach at Special Olympics Virginia. “The fact that people willingly run into freezing cold water highlights the dedication and passion of the participants, showing how much they care.” PolarPlunge.com
This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue.
