More than 100 people braved Saturday’s cold, windy weather to join a Polar Bear Plunge in Fairfax County, Virginia, to help raise money for the Virginia Special Olympics.
Some participants wore costumes, while others wore swimsuits. However, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis was in his uniform for the Polar Bear Plunge at the Mosaic District — and did a belly flop into waist-high pool water.
Roy Zeidman, senior vice president of Virginia Special Olympics, said that the Mosaic’s plunge and four other plunges across Virginia have raised almost $1.5 million.
“We had a little break thanks to COVID for a couple of years, but we’re back and growing,” Zeidman said. “We hope to see this event continue to grow.”
He added that all the funds raised at this event and in other plunges in the state help run the Special Olympics program year-round “for 18,000 athletes throughout the Commonwealth.”
Fairfax County Police Chief Davis goes all-in at the Polar Bear Plunge for the Virginia Special Olympics. It’s one of 5 plunges across the state today @wtop pic.twitter.com/kLtnrFQOkP
— Dick Uliano (@DickUliano) January 14, 2023