Jump Raises 180K for Children with Serious Health Concerns

By WRILEY NELSONMILFORD

The bright, cold afternoon of Saturday, February 17 saw hundreds of people flock to the waterside at Silliman Cove on Goodyear Lake for the 26th annual Polar Bear Jump. Participants and spectators huddled close to the shoreline as the weather seesawed between full sun and snow squalls that reduced visibility to a few hundred feet, all accompanied by a gusting, bitter wind. Due to poor ice conditions, the jump was moved from its usual location in the center of the lake to a wading area near the shore. Reactions to the change were mixed; jumpers who were accustomed to simply stepping off a platform all at once faced the far more daunting prospect of walking out into the four-foot water and immersing themselves a bit at a time. As always, volunteer teams of rescue divers and emergency medical responders waited in the wings.