20 people, including JC and VCSU students, take the Plunge

• Plunge

Lindsey Kuntz reacts after her jump at the Special Olympics Polar Plunge Saturday at the James River Familiy YMCA. A Jamestown College student, Kuntz is a member of the Jimmie Janes, a group that raised $180 for this year’s event. (Chris Olson/The Sun)
• Tina Carter

Tina Carter of Jamestown raised $710 for the Special Olympics and won the best costume for her Gothic Raggedy Ann. (Photos by Chris Olson, The Sun)
• Nick Maloney

Nick Maloney, a junior at Jamestown College, wore his best business attire for his plunge. He also won best belly flop for his jump into the cold water. (Photos by Chris Olson, The Sun)

Talk about it

Tina Carter of Jamestown had the best costume of the day for the Special Olympics North Dakota Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge on Saturday outside at the James River Family YMCA parking lot.

Carter dressed as a gothic Raggedy Ann and raised $710, all so she could jump into a pool of cold water on a winter’s day. She works at the North Dakota State Hospital and one of the residents asked her to dress up as Raggedy Ann.

“I found a gothic version of Raggedy Ann that I liked much better,” she said.

Carter said the water was “horrible.”

“I’m scared of water, so this was kind of a big deal for me,” she said.

The Polar Plunge is a fundraiser for the Special Olympics North Dakota. Funds raised go to pay for the SOND’s different programs, including its statewide athletic events.

Twenty people, including a contingent of students from Valley City (N.D.) State University, raised $5,790 Saturday morning. Katie Allen, SOND director of special projects, said the plungers raised about $1,000 more than last year.

“We are really pleased to have the Valley City students come over and participate in the plunge,” she said.

Jamestown College students won the “golden plunger” award for raising $1,399, which was more than the $850 raised by the VCSU Student Senate.

Allen said she hopes the two colleges keep the fundraising rivalry going for future plunges.

“It added an element of excitement, the students were really into it,” she said.

The first plunger of the day was Jamestown College junior Gabby Urzola of Florida.

“It was the coldest water I’ve ever been in,” she said.

JC senior Nick Maloney said he had watched the Polar Plunge in past years and decided for his senior year he would make the jump. He didn’t know how much money he raised as he was part of a larger group of dorm residents who raised funds for the event.

“I always wanted to do this,” he said.

Maloney won the best belly-flop award for his jump.

JC senior Anders Cole earned the best participant award as he went into the water twice, once to jump and once to secure steps that were placed in the water tank to help guide people out after the steps came loose.

Bryce Brady, a junior at VCSU, said he wanted to be part of the first group from Valley City to participate in the Jamestown plunge.

“I’m doing this for the student senate at Valley City State,” he said.

The SOND will host two more Polar Plunges, March 23 in Dickinson, and April 6 in Fargo. Go to www.speciaolympicsnorthdakota.org for more information.

Sun reporter Chris Olson can be reached at 701-952-8454 or by email at colson@jamestownsun.com

Tags: polar plunge, local news, news, local