A team representing Dutchess BOCES raised over $9,000 and participated in the 26th annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics at Sharpe Reservation’s Camp Mariah in Fishkill Feb. 17.
Dutchess BOCES took part for a 10th year in the event organized by Special Olympics New York, which will host the Hudson Valley Special Olympics Regional Aquatics & Basketball Competition at Marist College March 24. Some of the money raised at the Polar Plunge will support the regional event that will include Dutchess BOCES students at Salt Point Center and Pegasus competing in the basketball skills competition.
“Just a huge thank you,” Erin Scott, team organizer and special education teacher at Dutchess BOCES’ Career & Technical Institute, said to her team. “The Special Olympics is near and dear to my heart. It’s the one organization that I’ve been fighting for and supporting for over 20 years. It just makes my heart happy.”
The Dutchess BOCES team arrived by bus to the reservation and quickly changed into gear to take their plunge. After taking photos with the Polar Plunge mascot by the event sign, the team headed to the dock and jumped into the cold water. They quickly ran to shore to dry off and headed back to a Camp Moriah building to change into dry clothes.
“I think it was cold as it normally is, but it’s for a great cause, so I’d do it a hundred times over if we needed to,” said Jason B. Schetelick, district superintendent at Dutchess BOCES who participated in his third polar plunge.
Dutchess BOCES team members each received a sweatshirt with the event logo for raising money and taking part.
“It was a lot colder this year,” said CTI teacher Shawn Prater-Lee after partaking in his second polar plunge with Dutchess BOCES. “I enjoy the camaraderie with my fellow teachers. It’s a fun thing to do and doing it knowing the money is going to such a good cause makes it even better.”
CTI teacher Tom Skean added after his third polar plunge, “I keep coming back to support the Special Olympics and my co-workers.”
A bus carrying the team from Dutchess BOCES arrived late at Sharpe Reservation after being stuck in standstill traffic for more than an hour heading up the mountain to the reservation.
“We were redirecting traffic,” said Maddox Buel, one of the security and law students from CTI to volunteer at the event.
