South Bend Cubs Make a Splash with Special Olympics Polar Plunge February 25
SOUTH BEND, IN – For the seventh year in a row, Four Winds Field will host the South Bend Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Indiana. Registration is now open, and participants are encouraged to register online. Those who do not wish to participate but want to make a donation
SOUTH BEND, IN – For the seventh year in a row, Four Winds Field will host the South Bend Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Indiana. Registration is now open, and participants are encouraged to register online. Those who do not wish to participate but want to make a donation can donate to the South Bend Cubs plunge team.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR TO DONATE
All participants who raise the minimum $85.00 for Special Olympics Indiana will receive an official Polar Plunge event t-shirt, with additional prizes and incentives offered to those who raise more. Individuals who go above and beyond in their efforts to support the Polar Plunge by raising a minimum of $4,000 and participate in two plunges are eligible to be recognized as “Super Plungers.”
Anyone who donates $30 or more to the South Bend Cubs plunge will be entered to win an outdoor suite to a 2023 South Bend Cubs game (valid April 12 – May 4) which includes up to 16 tickets and the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO THE SOUTH BEND CUBS PLUNGE
Jumping into a freezing pool or natural body of water in the middle of winter may seem like a crazy idea, but over the past 24 years, thousands upon thousands of our supporters have risen to the challenge, braved the elements, and made Special Olympics Indiana's annual Polar Plunge a huge success. This season, 18 Polar Plunge events will be held at venues across the state this winter. Those who are unwilling or unable to jump into the water can still be a part of the fun by raising money and attending as “virtual plungers” or by signing up for the third annual Polar Plunge Run.
“As a lifelong baseball fan, I look forward to each new spring … the smell of flowers and freshly cut grass … and the announcement from the person behind home plate 'PLAY BALL!' And before each spring, the fun and excitement of Special Olympics Indiana’s Polar Plunge season!” said President & CEO of Special Olympics Indiana Jeff Mohler. “As our largest annual fundraising series, it’s important for us to start off the new year with the needed funding to allow our athletes a chance to practice, compete, excel, and better themselves. The South Bend Cubs have been great friends, allowing me a chance to enjoy my favorite sport and allowing our athletes a chance to succeed by hosting and sponsoring the Polar Plunge. Special Olympics Indiana truly appreciates all the Cubs do for the game and for the South Bend community!”
More than 3,500 individuals take the plunge in a typical year, Freezin’ for a Reason, to raise vital funds that make a lasting difference in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. To date, the Polar Plunge has generated more than $9.3 million in support of Special Olympics Indiana’s year-round programs and events, including more than $860,000 in 2022.
“For the last six years, the South Bend Polar Plunge has been the unofficial kickoff party to the new baseball season,” said South Bend Cubs Assistant General Manager for Marketing & Media Chris Hagstrom-Jones. “In that time, we have raised over $100,000 for our local Special Olympic athletes. This year, I’m challenging our community leaders to take the plunge at Four Winds Field. We’re freezin’ for a reason! The cold never bothered me anyway.”
About Special Olympics Indiana
Special Olympics Indiana is a nonprofit organization that is a part of the global Special Olympics movement, using sport, health, education, and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. They are a sports organization that uses the power of sport as a catalyst for social change, working for more than 50 years to open hearts and minds toward people with intellectual disabilities and to create inclusive communities across the state. With the support of over 10,000 coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than 18,000 athletes and unified partners at no cost to the participants. Learn more by visiting www.soindiana.org.
About the South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs are the High-A affiliate of the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Over the past 34 seasons, the team has won five Midwest League titles, most recently in 2022, and has captured nine division titles. In 2022, Four Winds Field, home of the South Bend Cubs, was voted Best High-A ballpark in the country by Ballpark Digest, having also won the award as a Low-A ballpark in 2017. In 2019, the South Bend Cubs hosted the final Midwest League All-Star Game. In 2015 the team was named Ballpark Digest's Team of the Year and received the John H. Johnson President's Award, the highest award in minor league baseball. The team is owned and operated by Swing-Batter-Swing, LLC whose principal shareholder is Andrew T. Berlin of Chicago, Ill.