Most Popular Videos Featured On KDKA.com
Jan 1, 2009 1:44 pm US/Eastern
Pittsburgh Polar Bear Club Takes Annual Icy Plunge
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
-
-
The 2008 Polar Bear Plunge in Pittsburgh
KDKA
In a very cold New Year's Day tradition, local people made like polar bears and plunged into the icy depths.
This isn't the middle of summer, but close to 400 people treated the Mon River like your local YMCA swimming pool this morning. Members of the Pittsburgh Polar Bear Club jumped into the waters around 9:30 a.m.
"It's just like a shock and you gasp for air as soon as you come up," said participant Lizzie Young.
"Very cold, very bracing, but I just wanted to do something outside of my comfort zone," said Cecily Ford, another participant.
The first day of 2009 meant the 80th year for the plunge. Men, women, boys, girls and even dogs jumped in for the big splash in the 30 plus degree waters.
"You have to have lost it before you get in, but once you get in it's ok," said jumper Art Woods.
Woods was part of the brave bunch. He says he's a newbie but he wanted to help his Triumph Baptist Church raise money for a new community center.
"Just one of the ways to let people know we're serious about what we're doing," added Woods. "Everybody said I was crazy, my wife, my kids, my pastor."
Meanwhile, Ford said with the help of a friend she wanted to try something different in her life on the first day of 2009.
"I wanted to start the New Year like this," she said.
Most jumpers got in and got right back out, but they all seemed to have a good time.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Latest 5-Day Forecast
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments