CLEAR LAKE – The 14th Annual Polar Bear Dip held December 4th, 2011 in Clear Lake was a big success.
About 510 people participated in the event. Around $21,000 was raised for Make-a-Wish and Toys for Tots.
Dalena Barz, General Manager of Star 106, KLSS, was one of the founders of this event, along with Scott Anderson of the Surf. Fourteen years ago, together they tried to come up with an idea on how to expand Christmas by the Lake into Sunday. Up popped the Polar Bear Swim.
The first year, only six people participated in the swim. Todd, a spectator on Sunday, remembers the first year he came to the Polar Bear Dip, “I believe there were only seven or nine people that took the dip.”
Now, fourteen years later, it is up past five hundred. The people that participate do it for the charities, but also do it for the fun.
There are traveling trophies that are given out. They are given to the business that collects the most money, the business with the most dippers and to the individual that raises the most money.
Members of the Clear Lake Fire Department were in the water in insulated ice rescue suits in case any of the dippers needed help. There were a few that did need assistance.
This year the Dip was very fast. The event started at 12:30 pm and was over by 12:50 pm. Compared to last year, when teams of two, three, four and more went in as teams, this year large groups dove in together.
The divers all got a Polar Bear Club sweatshirt and there were sweatshirts for sale at the beach for all those who wanted one.
