Get ready to end February by signing a waiver and launching into freezing cold water, all in the name of fun and charity.

Effingham is hosting its 12th Annual “Polar Plunge” event at noon on Saturday at Lake Sara in Effingham where more than 308 people will plummet into the frosty lake to support the Special Olympics.

Vanessa Duncan, director of Area 9 Special Olympics, said the 27-year-old event, which only came to Effingham in 2004, has already surpassed last year’s 198 participants and has raised more than $20,000.

Duncan also said pure excitement may be the reason why anyone would pay $75, the plunging fee, to throw themselves into freezing water.

“Well, with challenges such as the Ice Bucket Challenge in the past, it seems that people like doing exciting things,” Duncan said. “It’s for a wonderful cause and seems like a good way to do exciting things and have fun without putting pressure on the fund raising process.”

Age is not a discriminatory factor in the Polar Plunge as there have been plungers ranging from 10 to 70 years old.

Participants will have to sign waivers, because of the dangers of the cold water, and those younger than 18 will need a parent or guardian to sign the waiver for them.

However, to ensure the safety of everyone there will be scuba divers and ambulances on hand to assist if they are any problems with the cold water.

The goal of the Polar Plunge is to raise $50,000 that will go toward benefitting Special Olympics Illinois with the costs of free lunches for the athletes and trainers, renting facilities for competition, volunteer shirts and more.

The most successful contributor is Eastern’s own Sigma Rho Epsilon, a special education honors fraternity, which has raised more than $6,000 and has 53 team members.

Mallory Kowaleski, a senior Special Education major, is the president of Sigma Rho Epsilon and said this will be her fourth time at the plunge.

“Everyone there is just excited about sharing stories of previous Polar Plunges and giving advice to new comers,” Kowaleski said. “In the parking lots, there’s usually people hanging out and playing music in their cars and jumping up and down psyching themselves up.”

Kowaleski mentions one of her first encounters with the disabled involved a preschool friend taking off her prosthetic arm and asking Kowaleski to hold it. Since then she has wanted respect and acceptance for everyone.

Another plunger and Sigma Rho Epsilon member is Jacy Samet, a senior special education major.

“Everyone’s there for the same reason,” Samet said. “Everybody has family members or teammates or posters and are dressed in crazy outfits; it’s just so fun that you forget you’re about to jump into a lake and just freeze your butt off.”

Registration will be from 10:30 a.m. until noon when there will also be a costume contest that will be judged at the post-plunge party afterwards.

Also during the post party, prizes will be dispersed to those who raised certain amount of money.

Those who raised $250 will receive Polar Plunge beach towels, those who raised $500 will receive an XL Under Armour sports duffel bag and those who raised $1,000 will receive an embroidered Under Armour jacket.

Samet went on to say this is a morally satisfying event that changes peoples’ lives.

“It’s wonderful seeing all the peoples’ lives that you’ve touched and even if you’re not jumping, but simply donating money I see that it still makes a world of difference,” Samet said.   

Darronté Matthews can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].