Washington County team to polar plunge for Special Olympics
Courtesy of Washington/Greene Special Olympics
Zachary Williams and Nancy Grimm, both of Fayette County, took the polar plunge last year at Heinz Field as members of the Washington County Special Olympics. This year, the plunge, which raises money for the Special Olympics, will be held Feb. 29.
Courtesy of Washington/Greene Special Olympics
Becky Cook, of Washington County, participates in a skiing event last year in the Outdoor Winter Games of the Special Olympics.
Washington and Greene counties have merged their Special Olympic organizations just in time for an upcoming fundraiser – the annual 2020 Pittsburgh Polar Plunge, scheduled for Feb. 29 at Heinz Field.
Washington County Special Olympics manager Jody Knight said the Washington and Greene chapters had worked together in partnership last year, with the intention to merge in 2020. She said they have about 200 active and inactive athletes between the two counties, though Greene had only five total.
Knight said in Greene, most of the events were held at Waynesburg University and run by many volunteers through the college’s faculty and students.
“So, during winter and summer breaks, there was nothing going on for our athletes since the college was out of session,” Knight said.
That’s why they decided to work together, since Greene provided a lot of volunteers, and Washington provided more opportunities for athletes.
“It was sort of a marriage made in heaven,” Knight said.
Along with the merger, Knight, who recently took over as manager when Cherie Mazutis resigned, wants to use the Pittsburgh Polar Plunge as a way to raise money for Washington and Greene athletes. In previous years, Washington County wasn’t a big participator in the annual Pittsburgh Polar Plunge for Special Olympics, she said.
“Over the years, we’ve had a few people plunge for us but not a huge group like we’re trying to put together,” she said.
Keith Zenkovich, a South Strabane police officer, is working to assemble that group. As the law enforcement liaison for Washington County’s Special Olympics, he’s trying to recruit willing plungers from across the county’s community of police and first responders.
He started a Facebook event page for the plunge, which collected interest, but thus far, only he and his friend Josh Gettig, a police officer with California University, have registered to take the plunge, raising $90.
“We opened it to any first responders and their families,” he said. “I would really like to see the support from the county grow.”
Zenkovich said he’s participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run, an annual relay that raises money for the Special Olympics.
“Once you do any event with this organization, you just become addicted and want to do more,” he said.
Individuals must raise a minimum of $50 to take the plunge. So far regionally, the overall campaign has raised more than $98,000, but the goal is $500,000.
“The money raised goes to help the costs of the games, hotel rooms and transportation for the athletes,” Zenkovich said. “We just want to bring in more money for the athletes, so that coaches can spend less time fundraising and more time coaching.”
Knight said transportation, rooms and food costs for the athletes add up, especially for an organization run entirely by unpaid volunteers.
Any Washington or Greene County teams or individuals that take the plunge should mark their registration forms indicating they want their donations to go to Washington and Greene County athletes, Knight said. She said the local Special Olympic organizations keep 75% of the donations and the state Special Olympics of Pennsylvania keeps 25%.
She said a team of criminal justice majors at Waynesburg University has registered to take the plunge.
“I would like to grow the participation from Washington and Greene counties, and with the local law enforcement – that’s an excellent way to grow that,” Knight said. “It’s certainly a great start.”
Anyone interested can join the Washington County Public Safety Polar Plungers and register to take the plunge at www.classy.org/team/258480. For more information, find Zenkovich’s event page on Facebook, 2020 Pittsburgh Polar Plunge.
“Even if you’re too chicken to plunge, there’s other activities and ways to donate if you still want to be a part of the team,” Zenkovich said.