The Recreation and Wellness Center hosted the Polar Plunge Thursday evening, a charity event with sweet treats, free giveaways and a dip in icy waters to benefit the Lee County Special Olympics.
The event encouraged divers to gather around the pool a couple of dozen at a time and perform one of Auburn’s classic chants or cheers before jumping in. Assistant Director of Membership and Auburn alum Nicholas Head, dressed smartly in a Hawaiian shirt, boots and a sun hat, led the cheers from a diving board. Not to be outdone in school spirit, Aubie himself was in attendance and was the first to jump in for every plunge, albeit with some assistance from his trusty inflatable pool ring.
“[His suit] gets very heavy,” Lead Head Lifeguard and Auburn senior Haley Turner said. “In the past we used a personal lifeguard for Aubie, and then also we’ve added a tube for him this year.”
Though the pool isn't set to open until March 17, safety was paramount to ensure a smooth plunging experience for all involved, and preparations for the event included an increased staff for the pool.
“We have to have a lot of lifeguards,” Turner said. “Typically, our shifts would have three or four, here we have seven just making sure that people are jumping safely.”
As groups took turns jumping in, other attendees could be found at tables around the pool area for more information about the Special Olympics of Lee County. Attendees were encouraged to bring a small donation and engage with the hashtag "#freezinforareason."
The event was part of a collaboration between Aquatics Coordinator Jack Morgan and Lee County Special Olympics Director Elizabeth Kaufmann. Morgan could not attend the event himself, but Associate Director of Programs Mark Henley made sure that his involvement was known.
“That’s who I want to make sure gets credit for this,” Henley said. “He’s the one who organized all this. This is something he created. I’ve only been back at Auburn for five years but this has been going on ever since I got back.”
After taking the plunge, chilly jumpers warmed up with hot chocolate, catering from The Bean and free beanies by the hot tub area. “Let It Go” from Disney’s Frozen played on a large speaker, adding to the arctic vibe of the event.
The Rec Center’s polar plunge mirrored an Auburn town event from Jan 18, where participators plunged at the Samford Pool to also benefit the Lee County Special Olympics. The version at the Rec Center was supposed to be held last week at a time closer to the Samford event, but real polar conditions forced a move to a more hospitable 70-degree day.
The plunge was not as refreshing as the weather might suggest, however, as the pool temperature was lowered to give divers a bit of a shock to the system. Many yelled out in surprise at how cold the water ended up being when they jumped in, but after getting out and getting dry it was warm smiles all around.
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Jack Fawcett is a sports production major from San Diego, California. He started with The Plainsman in January 2023.
