Community Spotlight: The Brrrmidji Plunge

Over the weekend 73 people decided to take the plunge. The Brrrmidji Plunge brought out everyone dressed in their best superhero costumes to others shirtless ready to make a splash.

“Bemidji Jaycees every year when we do the Brrrmidji Plunge we choose one or two people that we want to help support in our local community,” said Bemidji Jaycees Brrrmidji Plunge Chairperson Eva Fisher. “So this year all the net proceeds from this event are going to the Bemidji Community Food Shelf and the Northwoods Battered Women Shelter.

For best friends, Susan Annonson and Sandy Leverette taking the plunge was something to scratch off Leverette’s bucket list, but most importantly it was for a good cause.

“This year I think they’re sponsoring the food bank and all the charities that they come up with they’re all really good and we should all give back when we can,” participant Sandy Leverette. “We really should.”

With a $50 donation you could make that leap. Hundreds were spectators and they saw people from all ages jump into Lake Bemidji with no hesitation. A dive team was also on standby to help.

Flags were posted throughout to show where participants were from. The worldwide event had someone all the way from Germany.

“I wanted to experience a real winter and I got it,” said participant Christina Pott. “There wasn’t a lot going on, I just did it.”

Father daughter duo, Scott and Lillian Nyegaard, came to honor a friend that lost his battle with cancer.

“He passed away about a year ago to cancer and I guess I wanted to freeze myself in honor of him,”said participant Lillian Nyegaard.

These shirts say it all, Minnesota Tough. This was the first time for all three men to take the plunge.

“Kind of Minnesota Crazy versus Minnesota Tough,” said participant Mike Fretland. “You got to be a little bit of crazy but this is what being from up north is all about, right?”

After the jump came the hot tub where one could warm up.

http://www.bemidjijaycees.com/brrrmidji-plunge.html