Does anyone recognize what's happening in this photo from the Democrat-Gazette archives?
Hint: The year was 2002.
For teeth-chattering decades, Arkansans have marked a new year and contributed to Special Olympics Arkansas by sprinting into winter-chilled lakes, rivers or pools.
These "polar plunges" used to be called "polar bear plunges," after the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, the nation's oldest open-water swimming club. Since 1903, brave members have gathered every Sunday on New York beaches to swim in the Atlantic Ocean, rain, sleet or shine. An annual New Year's Day plunge there has raised money for Special Olympics since the 1990s.
Polar bear clubs sprang up around the nation during the 20th century, including in Arkansas. The first mention in this newspaper's archives of plunging to benefit Special Olympics is a report from February 1999 about a polar bear plunge at Hickory Creek Beach on Beaver Lake.
Special Olympics and its supporters usually organize 15 or more plunging events from January through March.
Today's photo is from Jan. 12, 2002, showing Mandy Ware and her brother Jordan Abbott emerging from Lakewood Lake No. 3 in North Little Rock. The Lakewood Property Association's plunge for Special Olympics drew about 50 participants that year.
The overnight low was below freezing, but things had warmed to above freezing when the time came to rush to the water.
Note that Ware thoughtfully included a plunger in her regalia. Before the swimmers got wet, they had a costume contest.
The nonprofit supports more than 15,000 Arkansans' desire to train and compete in 20 Olympic-type sports. According to the website, its mission is "to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community."
Here's a link to a calendar of plunging opportunities: arkansasonline.com/110polar.