Nearly 4,000 people — including actor Vince Vaughn — will head to North Avenue Beach and jump into freezing Lake Michigan on Sunday.
They are taking a dip to support Special Olympics Chicago in its 15th annual Polar Plunge.
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Last year, almost 3,200 people participated — in costumes, team outfits or swimsuits — and nearly $1 million was raised for the organization.
Dusty Roscoe, captain of Team Carden, is ready for his sixth Chicago Polar Plunge. The team is named for Ryan Carden, who was born with Down syndrome. Ryan is the son of Roscoe’s friends, Tom and Katy Carden.
Roscoe and his friends decided to start participating in the event because they knew Ryan could eventually participate in Special Olympics Chicago. Kids as young as 8 can participate.
The team has dipped into the lake almost every year since Ryan was born. And Ryan will be with Team Carden on Sunday at the beach. “He’s worn a polar bear costume the last two years,” Roscoe said.
Team Carden has grown from 25 to more than 80 members this year, and Roscoe said the group has raised more than $25,000 leading up to the plunge.
Susan Nicholl, executive director of Special Olympics Chicago, attributes an expected 25 percent increase in participants to what she calls the “Fallon effect.”
Last year, “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon took a dip in his suit and tie. Mayor Rahm Emanuel also took the plunge, as did several other Chicago politicians.
Nicholl said the organization recruited Vaughn for his ability to engage an audience and his love for Chicago. Vaughn will wear his Blackhawks jersey.
Vaughn isn’t new to performing stunts on North Avenue Beach — in 2010, the actor landed there sky-diving with his mom at the Chicago Air and Water Show.
Nicholl said Special Olympics Chicago used social media and the hashtag #VinnyDippin to recruit the actor.
“He responded pretty much immediately with an enthusiastic yes,” she said.
Nicholl said it’s heartwarming for athletes’ parents and coaches to see people participate in the plunge. The Special Olympics athletes are especially proud to see thousands of people jump in the freezing lake for the cause.
Special Olympics Chicago holds 40 events a year and coaches 22 sports for more than 5,000 athletes. Nicholl said the funding from last year’s event helped recruit athletes, provide transportation and buy supplies for the sports.
Except for possible snow, plungers can expect a decent day to take a dip — for this time of year, anyway.
Bill Nelson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the water temperature was right at freezing Thursday morning. Nelson said air temperatures are expected to be “relatively warm” Sunday, compared with recent temperatures.
He said it should reach the upper 20s by the afternoon. Snow is forecast to start Saturday and continue into Sunday.
Last year, the freezing water was warmer than the air, and Nicholl said ice had to be broken up for plungers.
If a willing participant can’t make it to Chicago, or doesn’t have the courage to dip into icy water, he or she can take a photo in the cold water of their own bathtub and post it to social media using the hashtag #virtualplunge.
Overall, Nicholl is excited for mild temperatures and lake plunging. “We’re glad Chiberia and the polar vortex cleared for this weekend,” she said.
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