Fifth annual Polar Plunge raises money for locals
Millie Parker is held by her friend Austen as Karley Welborn stands with her friends Macey and Natalie near the waters of Upper Bear Creek. Money was raised for Parker’s and Welborn’s battles with cancer.
Phil Campbell’s fifth annual Polar Plunge on Jan. 1 made a splash to start 2015 on a positive—though, perhaps chilly—beginning.
While some people were warming up their stoves and ovens to prepare the hog jowl, black-eyed peas, and turnip greens, close to 50 people showed up to Upper Bear Creek Lake at Mon Dye Landing to take a plunge into the cold water and raise money for two community members who are battling cancer.
Bruce Foreman, one of the organizers of the event, said $300 was raised for Millie Baker and Karley Welborn and their ongoing battles with cancer.
“We had a good turnout. We had about 50 people show up and nine of us got in the water,” Foreman said. “Overall we raised $300 dollars for the girls, and that makes me feel great about this event.”
Foreman said the official temperature of the water was 48 degrees at the time of the Polar Plunge.
“We had a countdown once everyone lined up at the edge of the water,” Foreman said. “And when the siren went off we all just ran out there into the water.
Foreman said he enjoys this event, so much so that he and some of the participants did it twice.
“We had people out here from Channel 19 and Channel 31 and the person from Channel 19 got in the water,” Foreman said. “So when the girl from Channel 31 heard about that then she wanted to do it. So a few of us lined back up and did it again with her.”
Foreman said he and his wife came up with the idea to do a Polar Plunge like this after seeing it done in Decatur, Ala.
“We saw them do something like this a few years back and we thought this would be something different to do in order to raise money,” Foreman said. “My daughter and her friend participate in the plunge and my wife helps organize with the whole event.”
The event is officially organized and run by Citizens for Phil Campbell, a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) registration, that helps raise money for different causes and groups within the community, according to Foreman.
“It feels good to be able to raise some money for a good cause and I feel like $300 is a good amount,” Foreman said. “In the past we’ve raised a couple of hundred dollars for different scholarships, so I feel good that we raised this much for the two girls.”
Foreman said it was neat to be able to meet the benefactors of the event.
“Millie and Karley were there at the event and it was neat to meet them and see them out there,” Foreman said.
Foreman said he would like to see more people attend the event in the future.
“I’m glad we were able to raise the money that we did and I think we had a pretty good turnout, but I would definitely like to see more people come out next year,” Foreman said. “I know folks have been giving to these girls and it was nice to see this amount able to be raised at this event.”
