Hundreds drawn to icy waters in Polar Bear Plunge

With the temperature at 37 degrees and the remains of Tuesday's snowstorm still left behind, hundreds of students took the jump into icy waters at the 13th annual Polar Bear Plunge last Thursday night.

Held at the outdoor pool of the Student Recreation Center, the Polar Bear Plunge is an annual event that dates back to the opening of the SRC in 1997.

"The Student Recreation Center opened in 1997 and the very first week we held events as a part of the grand opening," said David Gaskins, the associate director for programs at the SRC. "That first Polar Bear Plunge started with only 35 people."

The plunge has come a long way since its start 13 years ago with between 550 and 575 jumpers this year, up from last year's 502.

"The event puts diversity in the programming and appeals to an audience that may not want to do other things," Gaskins said.

Students lined the edge of the indoor pool at the SRC in anticipation of the first jump at 7 p.m. and some students even wore body paint in honor of the event.

Buckets of ice were poured into the pool right before the first jump, adding to the frigid conditions.

"I'm in college, so I figured why not?" said freshman communication major Vincent Olivere, who took the plunge.

Stephen Gray, the director of parent and student services, played the role of "Papa Bear" and braved the icy waters for the duration of the event. Gray has participated in past jumps and adds to the ceremonial aspect of the plunge, according to Gaskins.

"It was great, much colder than last year," said senior elementary education major Ashley Dumont after jumping in.

Students' reactions to the jump made it clear that the water was cold, but most seemed to express positive sentiments about the experience.

"It was cold but I'd do it again," said sophomore art major, Tara Moldovan.

The first 500 jumpers received a T-shirt and were entered into a drawing for a variety of prizes, including a $250 gift certificate to Best Buy.

The annual event is sponsored by Campus Recreation and Wellness, Campus Living and Dining and various student organizations.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.