Pirates prepare for 15th Annual Polar Bear Plunge

A group of friends prepare for a chilly dip in the Student Recreation Center pool at the 2010 Polar Bear Plunge.

GREENVILLE  — The 15th annual Polar Bear Plunge is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 at the ECU Student Recreation Center.

All ECU students, faculty and staff are invited to jump into the icy waters of the outdoor pool. The first 700 jumpers will receive a free T-shirt. Students will be entered into a drawing for prizes including the grand prize, a 3-foot stuffed Polar Bear donated by Coca-Cola.

All jumpers are encouraged to bring a canned food item for a Feed the Bear campaign with all donations going to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Participants who bring a canned food item with them will receive an additional raffle ticket to double their chances of winning prizes.

The Polar Bear Plunge started as a part of the grand opening of the Student Recreation Center in 1997 with 35 students taking the plunge. The event has grown each year with more than 500 jumpers in 2008 and 700 plungers in 2010. Organizers are anticipating as many as 900-1,000 participants will hit the chilly water this year.

Following the jump, food will be available for all jumpers on the Student Recreation Center Concourse and prizes will be awarded. Campus radio station WZMB-FM will be broadcasting live from the event. Students will also get a chance to learn about the programs, activities and organizations at ECU through the Get A Clue involvement fair, which will be held on the basketball courts inside SRC.

Registration begins at 6:30 p.m. on SRC Court No. 1. All participants must bring their ECU One Card to sign up. Prize drawings are expected to begin at 8:15 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Campus Recreation & Wellness, Campus Living & Dining, American Campus Communities, Coca-Cola, and Student Involvement and Leadership.

For more information call 252-328-6387 or stop by 128 Student Recreation Center.