Topeka hosts 16th annual Polar Plunge at Lake Shawnee

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Some people in the community got a cold start to their Saturday morning.

As a fundraiser for the Special Olympics of Kansas, people ran into Lake Shawnee for the 16th annual Polar Plunge.

People could sign up in teams, or sponsor someone else to make the plunge.

All of the money raised on Saturday will go toward the Special Olympics Kansas, which holds sporting events for people with intellectual disabilities and other events throughout the year.

“Social interaction opportunities, some educational classes, and training. But they also have some access to medical care that they maybe wouldn’t receive otherwise,” Kristi Powell, a detective for the Topeka Police Department, said.

Organizers of the event hope that this year’s plunge will raise $25,000 thousand for Special Olympics Kansas.