By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Last Saturday’s 16th annual PolaRotary Bear Plunge, lakeside at the Lake Arrowhead Resort, was a phenomenal success, luring some 145 participants and 38 teams bold enough to brave Lake Arrowhead’s 43-degree water as they ran and jumped into the lake. Last year’s attendance was 130 jumpers.
Following the rules, no wetsuits were permitted, each participant had to be 18 or older and they had to raise at least $50 for the charity of their choice; all funds over $1,000 went to his or her designated charity. They also were required to completely submerge themselves during the dive.
PolaRotary Bear Plunge Founder Dr. Patrick Rains and Jo Bonita Rains (Mr. & Mrs. PolaRotary Bear) prepare to jump into Lake Arrowhead. (Photos by Douglas W. Motley)
Each jumper’s pledge receipts up to $1,000 were split 50-50 between the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Foundation and the 501(c)(3) charity of the jumper’s choice. Money raised for the Rotary Foundation will be used for programs sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lake Arrowhead.
Capturing first place in the Groups & Teams of four or less were The Dippendales, sponsored by Columbia School; second place went to The Addams Family, sponsored by Rim of the World Historical Society. Garnering first place in the Groups &Teams of Five or More category was Los Lachados, sponsored by the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation; second place was won by Gladiator II, sponsored by the Sky Forest Elks Club. Garnering first place honors for Best Costumes was Blue Jay Jazz Foundation; second place went to The Superheroes, sponsored by Mountain Sunrise Rotary Club.
Jo Bonita Rains – whose husband, retired local veterinarian Dr. Patrick Rains was a founder of the event – was encountered in the outdoor hot tub following her jump in the lake. She told the Alpine Mountaineer that she had only missed one of the 16 PolaRotary Bear Plunges, due to illness. When asked what inspired her to get involved in the event, she replied, “I did it all for the kids.”
Gold Sponsor Cecilia Ponce de Leon with the large crowd in attendance at this year’s Plunge.
The team representing the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation took first place in the costume contest. (Photo: Facebook)
This year’s PolaRotary Bear Plunge sponsors included Gold Sponsors Cecilia Ponce de Leon of Keller Williams Realty and Steve Keefe & Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty. Silver Sponsors were Dave’s Viking Auto, Triple Edge Financial Services, 986 Pharmacy, The Hoys, Lynne B. Wilson & Associates, Tommy’s Pet Studio and Twin Peaks Auto Service. Other official sponsors include Mountains Community Hospital, SkyPark at Santa’s Village, Brian Cohen & Arrowhead Premier Properties, Lawrence R. Walker, MD, Lake Arrowhead School of Dance, UCLA Mountain Bruins, The Grill at Antler’s Inn, The Lake House, Pinnacle Plumbing, Arrowhead Floor and Window Coverings, Sandra Forney, Jim Newcomb & Windermere Real Estate, Cedar Glen Trading Post, Keith Burkart OD, Blue Jay Physical Therapy, Sweep’s Luck, Patrick Brennan Construction, UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge, Edward Jones and Tahseen Shareef.
More than 37 charitable 501(c)(3) organizations benefited from the Feb. 1 event, which got underway at 10 a.m. and wrapped up around 11:30 a.m. Jumpers represented the following organizations: Lake Arrowhead Rotary Foundation, Mountains Humane Society, Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, Knights of Columbus, Mountain Sunrise Rotary Foundation, Rim Special Athletes Foundation, Mountains Community Hospital, Mountain Counseling & Training, Snouts of Sedona, Blue Jay Jazz Foundation, Rim of the World Historical Society, Rim Veterans Outreach, Rim of the World Educational Foundation, Waves for Water, Mountain Pregnancy Center, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, UCLA Mountain Bruins Scholarship Fund, Special Olympics So Cal Rim Mountain Communities, Project Alive, Colombia Sin Fronteras, Mountain Homeless Coalition, Mountain Communities Boys & Girls Club, Making Spirits Bright Foundation, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Elks Lodge 2393, Arrowhead Arts Association, Spotted Dog Rescue, CSUSB Mountain Communities Scholarship Society, Women’s Club of Lake Arrowhead, Mountain Jewish Community, Team Interact.
Members of the Mountain Sunrise Rotary Club dressed as superheroes for this year’s Plunge.
The atmosphere was jovial as contestants attired in everything from bikinis to fanciful superhero costumes pranced and shimmied through three to five inches of snow to the shoreline, where Arrowhead Lake Association patrol boats and fire department boats were stationed offshore, in case anyone needed to be rescued.
Another team emerges from the lake.
Mr. PolaRotary Bear, Dr. Patrick Rains.
This formally attired team relaxes in one of Lake Arrowhead Resort’s steamy hot tubs following their plunge into the lake.
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