Eastern Illinois University’s department of special education raised over $5,000 at this year’s Glow Plunge, making the department the largest fundraiser at the event for 12 years in a row. 

As a result of raising the most money, the department will receive $1,000 back from what they fundraised, said Region I Special Olympics Assistant Director Vanessa Duncan. 

“It really supports that total that Glow Plunge raises,” said Duncan. 

So far, plungers across the state have raised a total of $1,827,119 to support the Illinois Special Olympics, according to Polar Plunge’s website. 

In total, according to the EIU Glow Plunge’s website, the Glow Plunge has raised around $10,100.

Last year’s event raised a total of $13,820. This year’s goal is $15,000, Duncan said.  

Polar Plunge locations in Region I include Effingham, Decatur, Mahomet and the EIU Glow Plunge. 

EIU’s Glow Plunge began in 2018 as a way to avoid traveling to Lake Sara in Effingham as it was previously the closest Polar Plunge in Region I and to do something nobody else does, according to Duncan. 

The event kickstarted with Eastern Provost Ryan Hendrickson welcoming the participants. This included individual plungers, Alpha Sigma Alpha Gamma Omega, Andrews Hall Council, the EIU department of special education, EIU football and the Life Academy.  

Participants were encouraged to dress up in either individual or group costumes for a theme they chose. When the costume contest ended, the winners received a plunger award. 

The winner of the best team costume went to the department of special education for their theme of “Wicked.” 

Best individual costume was awarded to Madison Moore for dressing as Glinda the Good Witch, following suit with the best team costume’s theme.

Other costumes seen at the event included a team dressed in warm colors, such as pink and yellow, and a smaller group of individuals dressed in green leprechaun-like outfits. 

It was at this time when the crowd of roughly 30 people organized into their groups to prepare for the plunge, consisting of entering a small pool and climbing over ropes lined across the water. Little rubber ducks of various colors bobbed along in the pool. 

Members of each group plunged five people at a time in the parking lot behind O’Brien Stadium, disrupting the still water by sloshing it across the concrete. 

The frigid waters were illuminated by the black lights set up next to the pool. 

Closing off the event, Hendrickson joined in by plunging himself into the waist-deep water and making his way across.  

Donations for the event can be made via credit or PayPal through Polar Plunge’s website which also displays the current amount raised in Illinois. The website also allows plungers to register either as an individual or with a team.

Luke Brewer can be reached at 581-2812 or at lsbrewer@eiu.edu.