By RYAN LANCASTER Staff Reporter Every February for the past four years a rising number of people have gathered at Waterfront Park to take turns running down the beach into the frigid winter waters of Medical Lake. On Feb. 26 at high noon, hundreds will once again turn out for the annual Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics of Washington, earning themselves the dual designations of “kind” and “kind of crazy.” While most will probably opt for a quick dunk followed by an even quicker dry-off – just enough to satisfy those who pledged donations – Bryan Dornbos has agreed to take on the role of “super plunger” this year. Dornbos, a seven year member of the Eastern Washington University Police Department, will dive into the lake once every hour for 23 hours straight before the official Polar Plunge even gets underway. He'll then take his final dip in the opening round of the main event with Team Copsicles, which includes Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, Airway Heights Police Chief Lee Bennett and other area law enforcement officials. “I've been preparing. I've only taken a couple of hot showers since the beginning of the month,” Dornbos said, adding that he “got a few funny looks” when he was out for a jog in near freezing temperatures the other morning wearing shorts and no shirt. Dornbos offered to do the super plunge as part of a bid to get Special Olympics organizer Jennifer Suniga to agree to jump in just one time. “She said ‘I don't know about the second part but the first part sounds great,'” he said. Suniga and her husband Mike will likely keep him company overnight in a heated trailer near the beach, along with a medical professional who will be standing by, just in case. Meanwhile Dornbos' wife, Vicki, will be home with their two boys – one of whom has special needs. “I hope to see Zach compete (in Special Olympics) when he turns eight,” Dornbos said. He said he's been watching with anticipation as the donations meter rises on his fundraising websi
EWU police officer will jump into Medical Lake once an hour for 24 hours to kick off this year's Polar Plunge fundraiser
By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
Every February for the past four years a rising number of people have gathered at Waterfront Park to take turns running down the beach into the frigid winter waters of Medical Lake.
On Feb. 26 at high noon, hundreds will once again turn out for the annual Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics of Washington, earning themselves the dual designations of “kind” and “kind of crazy.”
While most will probably opt for a quick dunk followed by an even quicker dry-off – just enough to satisfy those who pledged donations – Bryan Dornbos has agreed to take on the role of “super plunger” this year.
Dornbos, a seven year member of the Eastern Washington University Police Department, will dive into the lake once every hour for 23 hours straight before the official Polar Plunge even gets underway. He'll then take his final dip in the opening round of the main event with Team Copsicles, which includes Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, Airway Heights Police Chief Lee Bennett and other area law enforcement officials.
“I've been preparing. I've only taken a couple of hot showers since the beginning of the month,” Dornbos said, adding that he “got a few funny looks” when he was out for a jog in near freezing temperatures the other morning wearing shorts and no shirt.
Dornbos offered to do the super plunge as part of a bid to get Special Olympics organizer Jennifer Suniga to agree to jump in just one time. “She said ‘I don't know about the second part but the first part sounds great,'” he said.
Suniga and her husband Mike will likely keep him company overnight in a heated trailer near the beach, along with a medical professional who will be standing by, just in case. Meanwhile Dornbos' wife, Vicki, will be home with their two boys – one of whom has special needs.
“I hope to see Zach compete (in Special Olympics) when he turns eight,” Dornbos said.
He said he's been watching with anticipation as the donations meter rises on his fundraising website but at the end of the day it doesn't much matter if people buy off on seeing him jump in a cold lake a bunch of times. It's about supporting an organization that gives thousands of people who might not otherwise have the opportunity a chance to participate in sports.
“This benefits athletes who work really hard,” he said. “It's one thing to go out with your god-given talent and tear it up on the court, but it's another thing to get out there and try when you've been fighting your whole life.”
While he's willing to repeatedly subject himself to freezing temperatures, sleep deprivation and probably no small amount of raised eyebrows from friends and family, Dornbos said there's one thing he won't do for the Polar Plunge. “People have asked me numerous times but no, I'm not wearing a Speedo,” he said.
To pledge support for Dornbos' super plunge campaign visit http://www.firstgiving.com and search for his name. To find out more about the Medical Lake Polar Plunge, including registration information, visit http://www.sowa.org.
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at [email protected].
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