Polar Plunge Season Kicks Off In Lake Michigan 2/16 with 24-Hour Plunge

EVANSTON, Ill., Feb. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Polar Plunge will kick off its 2018 season with the SUPER Plunge this weekend at Clark Street Beach in Evanston. It is the first of 24 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunges around the state (including 7 in Chicagoland) that will benefit Special Olympics Illinois.

Over 70 SUPER Plungers will begin jumping into Lake Michigan at 2 pm Friday, Feb. 16. The Plunging elite will continue plunging once an hour for 24 hours until 1 pm Saturday, Feb. 17.

Chicago Blackhawks fans are invited to join Tommy Hawk for the 2018 Blackhawks Plunge Hour during the SUPER Plunge on Feb. 17 at 10:00 am. Participants must raise a minimum of $100 and will be entered for a chance to win four tickets to a 2018 Blackhawks home game and locker room tour.

Plunge with local law enforcement officers and others from the community at one of 23 "traditional" Plunges (one plunge per participant) happening statewide. Each Plunger must raise a minimum of $100 and will receive a cardinal red Polar Plunge hooded sweatshirt.

This year features 2 NEW Traditional Plunges. Locations include:
February 17 ? Carbondale 
February 18 ? Evanston
February 18 ? Palatine
February 24? Bloomington, Carlyle, Mahomet, Mendota, Quincy
February 25 ? Fox Lake, Galesburg
March 3 ? Benton, Chatham, Decatur, Effingham, Manteno, Oak Brook, Rockford
March 4 ? Macomb, Yorkville
March 9 ? Belleville (NEW)
March 10 ? Joliet, Champaign (NEW)
March 25 ? Rock Island

For more information, to register, or to support a plunger, visit www.plungeillinois.com. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #PlungeWith.

All proceeds benefit the 23,000 athletes and 20,000 Young Athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.

This is the 19th year of the LETR Polar Plunge. More than 66,000 plungers have raised more than $18.4 million. GEICO, RIU Hotels & Resorts, and Apple Vacations are the Statewide Presenting Polar Plunge Sponsors.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run^® is the single largest year-round fundraising vehicle benefiting Special Olympics Illinois. The annual intrastate relay and its various fundraising projects have two goals: to raise money and to gain awareness for the athletes who participate in Special Olympics Illinois. The Law Enforcement Torch Run® has raised more than $47 million over 32 years while increasing awareness of Special Olympics Illinois athletes and their accomplishments.

SOURCE Special Olympics Illinois