Polar Plunge raises $7,770 for Special Olympics

Teams from Area 13 including Mississippi County and Crittenden County took the Polar Plunge on Saturday at the Hampton Inn pool with family, friends, and supporters to cheer them on.

The Polar Plunge raises money for the Arkansas Special Olympics.

Schools including Manila, Blytheville, Armorel, Gosnell, Osceola, Rivercrest, Marion, Earle and West Memphis are included in Area 13.

Tracey and Haven Bohannan accept the "Cool School" award at the Polar Plunge event.

Sign-up was held with the plungers receiving Polar Plunge tee shirts. Also available were Chicken Out shirts for $25.

Teams raising $1,000 or more received a towel, umbrella and chair.

Prizes were given for the best costume going to the Smile Family. The individual best costume went to Grayson Seibert as Superman.

The most money raised went to the Blytheville Police Department with $2,085. The individual raising the most money was Alison Carle.

Event coordinators from Gosnell take their plunge to end the day.

This is the second year for the Polar Plunge to be held in Blytheville (Mississippi County). Last year $4,928 was raised. This year the teams and volunteers almost doubled the amount by raising $7,770.

The Manila Polar Paws team was named the Cool School Team raising the most money by a participating school. Manila School will have its name placed on the plaque and the team will get to display the plaque at their home school until the 2018 Polar Plunge when they will defend their title. Armorel was the 2016 Cool School.

Of the Manila Polar Paws team, Tracey and Haven Bohannan, a mother and daughter, were the only two able to make the plunge on Saturday. They represented their team members well. Miss Tracey, a special education teacher at Manila, gave a thank you to the Manila School principals, students, and volunteers who helped them with their fund-raising projects. Sponsoring the Manila team are Gene Adams Farms; Wells Family Eye Care; Missco Insurance of Manila, Tracy's Treats and 1812 Pizza. The Manila team raised $1,298

Janet Mason of Gosnell serves as the coordinator for Area 13 and she expressed her appreciation to everyone for their support before making her Polar Plunge to end the day.