2020 Lake Viking Polar Plunge – the last installment of a great run

The team from Lake Viking Marine and the Trenton police department in the ice cold water at the 13th Annual LV Polar Plunge.

Where else will you see a Polar Bear and an alien from outer space?

The space aliens (Access II) are getting a cold reception.

The plungers sponsored by Chillicothe Corrections have been a big presence every year.

NASA guy leads this group from the Chillicothe High School.

In terms of the weather, what a difference 24 hours can make.
Early Friday morning, Feb. 14, the temperature was five below zero. The next day, on Saturday, Feb. 15, it was warm and sunny with the thermometer headed for 40 degrees. That was good news for the participants in the 13th Annual Lake Viking Polar Plunge. Although the water was still cold – very cold! — the improvement in temperatures made it more tolerable for the 44 brave souls coming out of the water. It was another fun-filled and exciting day in the 13-year history of this Lake Viking event, but this will be the last year. Next year the probable location of the plunge will be Chillicothe.
Seven groups of plungers scampered into the frigid water then hurried back out and made a headlong sprint for the heated tents to change out of their cold and soggy clothes. All totaled, 44 plungers (including one pee-wee plunger) helped raise $11,000, but those numbers tell a bigger story.
A few years ago, there were 100 plungers with $32,000 raised at the Lake Viking event. The noticeable decline is a result of several factors, the biggest of which is the absence of Jim and Judy Rash. The Rashes are former residents of Lake Viking, and although they moved to the Trenton area several years ago, they remained as the event’s biggest promoters. There were years in which Jim Rash was personally responsible for $25,000 in funds raised, and Judy worked hard on organizing the event each year. When Jim stepped out of plunging two years ago, as a result of doctor’s orders, the writing was on the wall. Another factor is the absence of the Cameron Crossroads Correctional Center which has closed. Crossroads took the lead as the sponsoring law enforcement organization for the Lake Viking Plunge in the beginning.
Carrie Pfeifer and the Chillicothe Correctional Center have done an admirable job of taking care of business during the past few years and, in fact, the growing number of participants from Chillicothe has made that city the logical candidate to hold future plunges for the area.
It was a wonderful run for Lake Viking. Good luck to Melody Prawitz and the Saint Joseph group of the Special Olympics of Missouri for the future.
Plunge Results: $11,000 raised by 44 plungers, Host agency was Chillicothe Correctional Center. Special Olympics of Missouri is grateful for the support of the Lake Viking Association and Lake Manager Shad Mort throughout the years.
Golden Plunger Awards: First Individual – Catherine Jackson-Martian; Second Individual – Elijah Henington, NASA Astronaut; Third Individual – Emmett Young, NASA Astronaut.
1st Team: Access II – Lady Aliens; 2nd Team: Chillicothe High School – Green Aliens; 3rd Team: The Justice LEOs/Trenton PD – Tie Dyed
Highest Fund-raiser Individuals (All from Chillicothe Corrections): 1st Mike Lowe – $2,500; 2nd Mark Parkhurst – $1,503; Catherine Jackson – $900.
High Fund-raiser Team: 1st Access II – $520; 2nd Lake Viking Marine – $375; 3rd The Justice LEOs -$270.
Top Schools: 1st Chillicothe HS – $1,533.83; 2nd Gallatin HS – $500; 3rd Cameron HS – $180.
Top Law Enforcement Torch Run: Chillicothe Correctional Center – $4,892.