Brrr!! A bone-chilling Polar Bear Dip into Lake Erie for a good cause.
Brrr!! A bone-chilling Polar Bear Dip for a good cause
Nick Brancaccio
Alex Ilie, left, Brad Spencer, Aaron Gallant and Roman Jackson, all of Team Maiysn's Caped Canucks, enter the bone-chilling water of Lake Erie during the 18th annual Polar Bear Dip supporting Childcan and Access County Community Support Services at Kingsville's Cedar Beach, Jan. 13, 2018.
KINGSVILLE — It was a bone-chilling day for a good cause as courageous swimmers hit the Lake Erie waters Saturday during the 18th annual Polar Bear Dip in support of Childcan and ACCESS County Community Support Services.
Funds raised — last year’s event brought in $80,000 — support Childcan’s efforts to provide families of children diagnosed at London’s Children’s Hospital with emotional, social and financial support. The weekend contributions also help ACCESS assist and engage vulnerable youth, from affordable housing to covering food security and other basic needs.
This year’s event in Canada’s banana belt was definitely fit for a polar bear, with the wind chill dipping to below minus-double digits and the lake waters generously filled with ice. Organizers offered an out this year — 2018 registrants were permitted to “buy their way out” of braving the icy waters if they had second thoughts.
Members of the Windsor Yacht Club and Beach Grove Golf and Curling Club enter the frigid waters at Cedar Beach on Saturday.
Hockey anyone? Shana Postumus of Harrow Women’s Hockey League survived the bone-chilling water of Lake Erie at the 18th annual Polar Bear Dip.
Justin Butt, left, and Damien Glabb of Team Butts in Gear encounter a more seasonably dressed swimmer â volunteer Greg Meloche wearing a survival suit â at Saturday’s bone-chilling Polar Bear Dip off the coast of Kingsville.
Josh’s Jokers led by Josh’s dad Doug Krystia, centre, enter the freezing water of Lake Erie at the 18th annual Polar Bear Dip in Kingsville Saturday.
Doug Krystia, left, and Brad Spencer prepare for the Polar Bear Dip to support Access and Childcan at Cedar Beach Jan. 13, 2018. Both men were participating in memory of their sons. Doug Krystia for his son, Josh, and Brad Spencer for his son, Maiysn.
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