Passion Plunge 2010

Once again WAAF is a proud sponsor of the Passion Plunge. An event featuring hundreds of what seem to be right minded people jumping into near freezing waters to support a good and important cause. Both LB(from the Hill-Man Morning Show) and I have been participants many times. This year LB will be plunging into the icy waters at Revere Beach and I will be diving into the slightly warmer waters at Nantasket beach in beautiful Hull on March 6th. Why do we and hundreds of others subject themselves to extreme temperature drops, near hypothermia, and for the men, extreme shrinkage? Because it’s something we all believe is a good an important cause. The Special Olympics helps nearly 12,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities participate in Olympic type sporting events in Massachusetts. These Olympians learn teamwork, physical fitness, and skills that will help them through life. Most importantly it gives them a sense of pride. These athletes work hard. All of the Olympians I’ve met over the years have all been very proud of their accomplishments. The Special Olympics Of Massachusetts does not charge a fee to participate. They seek out potential participants and help them train with 1600 coaches. There are also the thousands of volunteers that make this possible. With little or no financial help from State or Federal sources they need alot of help keeping up the quality of the training and the events. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Check the Passion Plunge website to donate or participate, or just stop by and watch the Plungers run screaming from the harbor. Sometimes they do it in costume. I can tell you from personal experience that it feels like millions of tiny shards of glass being jammed into you skin as it hits the water. That’s on a warm day when the water is like, 38F. But it is well worth it.

by: Mike Hsu