In this Jan. 2 file photo, more than 300 people dashed in and out of the ocean on Jan. 1 in Old Orchard Beach at the Special Olympics Maine annual Lobster Dip.
On Jan. 1, hardy souls will take the plunge into the Atlantic Ocean to help support Caring Unlimited, York County’s domestic violence resource center.
The Atlantic Plunge, which was started by a volunteer on New Year’s Day 2001, has grown to become a major fundraiser supporting the services offered by Caring Unlimited said spokeswoman Emily Gormley.
Registration for the plunge is $25 and folks may register online or on the day of the plunge, starting at 10:15 a.m.
Depending on the source – The Old Farmer’s Almanac or the long range forecast produced by Accu-Weather, Jan. 1 will either be warm and sunny, or cold with flurries. Accu-Weather is forecasting 42 degrees and full sun that day, while OFM says to expect snowflurries and cold temperatures.
Each year, dozens of people ‘Take the Plunge,’ and collect pledges from family members, friends and co-workers, explained Gormley. Pledges may be made online through participants’ personalized fundraising pages or collected and turned in when participants check in at the event. This year, the “Plunger” with the highest fundraising total by New Year’s Day will win a $250 gift card to LL Bean.
The pledges and registration fees provide vital support for Caring Unlimited’s programs and services. Gormley said the Atlantic Plunge allows Caring Unlimited to continue to provide important services, which include: 24-hour hotline, emergency sheltering, transitional housing, support and education groups, legal advocacy, school-based education and advocacy, and community education and training. Caring Unlimited serves approximately 3,000 individuals in York County annually.
The 2016 Atlantic Plunge is supported by Biddeford Savings Bank. Gormley said there are a number of other supporters, including: Symquest, Law Offices of Prescott, Jamieson, Nelson and Murphy, Saco & Biddeford Savings with P&C Insurance, Sanford Institution for Savings, Northern Insurance, Kennebunk Portside Rotary, Southern Maine Health Care, Brady Construction, Holmes Legal Group, Law Offices of Scott M. Houde, Serendipity Enterprises, Libby, O’Brien, Kingsley & Champion, Attorneys at Law, and Patco Construction. Additional support for the Atlantic Plunge comes from supporters: Cole and Harrison, Kennebunk Village Pharmacy, Kennebunk Rotary, and P&E Supply.
More information, including online registration and fundraising information, is available on the events page at www.caring-unlimited.org.
A storm date is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 9 and information regarding any weather-related changes will be posted in the days leading up to the event, she said.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 327.
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