More Than 1,000 Expected To Take Polar Plunge
EXCELSIOR, Minn. (AP) -- More than 1,000 people are expected to take a freezing plunge on New Year's Day in Excelsior.
It's the 21st annual ALARC Ice Dive to raise money for community programs, including the Excelsior Volunteer Fire Department and a camp for asthmatic children put on the American Lung Association.
Divers pay $20 to $25 for the privilege of grabbing a buddy and jumping through a hole in the ice.
Co-founder Bill Wenmark will be the first diver in the water and will stay on hand to recognize the divers depending on how many years they have participated.
Guppies are the first-timers. A shark is someone who has jumped 10 years or more. Organizers expect to honor 15 new sharks this year.
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