Erie Cool Schools Challenge

The Erie Polar Plunge is BACK and with it, fun experiences for students and teachers to participate by jumping into the chilly waters of Lake Erie!

We would love for your school to be part of this tradition. Creating a Cool Schools Plunge team is a fantastic way to bring together your school community in a true “unified” spirit! It also helps Special Olympics PA provide the necessary ongoing financial and resource support for your Unified Champion Schools program and Unified Sports team.

There are lots of ways to recruit students and teachers for your Cool Schools team so all of you can “become your inner polar bear!” And they will have such fantastic memories in doing GOOD while having FUN!

In addition to your team taking the invigorating dip in the lake with other school teams, there’s so much more. PLUNGETOWN, where you chill to some music, enjoy food and beverages, take pictures in our photo booth, play some corn hole, or watch some wood-carving. And, depending on the weather, perhaps there may be a snowball fight!

Erie Polar Plunge Details:

  • Saturday, November 20th
  • Presque Isle Beach 7
  • Registration and PLUNGETOWN opens at 9:00 am. Feel free to arrive any time until 11:30 am to register and get ready to Plunge!
  • First plunge starts at 12:00 pm on the beach
  • Safety measures for COVID-19, as well as the Plunge, will be in place to ensure everyone’s welfare

Here’s How to Register Your Cool Schools Team:

  • Click HERE to go to the Erie Polar Plunge registration page
  • Click the ‘REGISTER’ button
  • Choose ‘CREATE A TEAM’
  • Set your team’s fundraising goal (it’s just a goal, and not a requirement so aim high!)
  • Click the ‘CREATE TEAM’ button at the bottom of the page and complete the information requested. Make sure you select the Cool Schools option so you register for free.

Once your team page is created, copy and share the link with your students, teachers, and staff. They will use this link to select the JOIN TEAM option and register as a team member.

Anyone who raises $35 or more will receive a 2021 Erie Polar Plunge t-shirt!

If you have any questions about registration or the event itself, please reach out to my Special Olympics PA colleague Karly Heath: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ideas for Fundraising:

  • RECRUIT!
    • Send the team link to students, teachers, and administrators and ask them to join. The more people that jump into the lake, the easier it is to do when surrounded by friendly company!
  • ASK NICELY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR SUPPORT!
    • Encourage team members to send the link to their personal fundraising page to the their family members and friends, asking them to donate whatever they can. When reaching out, they should share what makes your school a great example of inclusion through Special Olympics Unified programs. And always thank people for their support and generosity.
  • GET THE WORD OUT!
    • Share your team link on social media and why Unified Sports is so important at your school.

Thank you for your interest in the Erie Polar Plunge and Cool Schools, as well as the Unified Champion Schools program at your school which it helps to support!