Annual Polar Bear Plunge Takes Place This Weekend In Osage Beach

It’s a big weekend in the lake area with hundreds of hearty souls expected to hit the 43-degree water for the 28th Annual Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Missouri, or SOMO.

Crystal Schuster is the Senior Director of Community Development for SOMO.

She says, frivolity of the day aside, funds raised from the plunge go a long way to support to support the year-round program.

“We offer health screenings for our athletes. Free physicals, free eye exams, dental exams. And then from there, if there’s work that needs to be done, then they can be recommended to a clinician close to them to help.”

The event takes place at Public Beach-2 in Osage Beach.

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LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO – Hundreds of warm-hearted individuals will brave the chilly waters of Lake of the Ozarks to raise money for Special Olympics Missouri during the 28th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Polar Plunge, Saturday, Feb. 25.

For most of the year, the Grand Glaize Beach in Lake of the Ozarks State Park is a hotbed of activity with many anglers and vacationers taking advantage of the marina for their water recreation. But, typically, in the heart of Missouri’s winter, one wouldn’t expect to see anything other than fish and waterfowl in the water. Unless, of course, it’s time for the annual Lake of the Ozarks Polar Plunge.

The “granddaddy” of Missouri’s Polar Plunge events, this fun and entertaining winter outing, draws around 300 costume-clad participants and up to a thousand spectators each year. The events help raise funds for Special Olympics Missouri’s year-around program for sports training and competition for 15,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Last year’s Lake of the Ozarks Polar Plunge activities raised over $9,260 for Special Olympics Missouri.

Activities on Saturday begin with registration running from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with the annual Polar Bear Strut 5K walk/run taking place at 10 a.m. Afterward, there will be a chili cook-off at 11 a.m. followed by the Pee Wee Plunge (kids 9 years and younger) at 1 p.m.

The main event gets started with an entertaining “plungers” costume parade at 2 p.m. Following the parade, all the “plungers” run, walk or crawl into the chilly water at 2:30 p.m.

For more information on all the Polar Plunge activities at the Lake of the Ozarks, or for details on how to participate, volunteer or make donations, visit Special Olympics Missouri’s website at www.somo.org.

Additional winter events, as well as year around attractions and information on all lodging and dining options available at the Lake, can be found on the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau’s award-winning website, www.FunLake.com, or by calling 1-800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253).