The polar bear plunge. It’s simplest meaning is a person going into the ocean in the middle of the winter. In the meaning I’m referring to, it’s a fundraiser. A big fundraiser. A really important fundraiser. This fundraiser is the largest grossing single day effort held in this state benefitting Special Olympics of New Jersey.

Anyone can participate in one of the plunges. New Jersey actually now has two Polar Bear Plunges that benefit the NJ Special Olympics, making up the Polar Bear Plunge Series. One is held in Seaside (about ten minutes away from me) and another in Wildwood (about ninety minutes from me), to afford more people the opportunity to participate. The events are sponsored by PBA and the FOP and the rest of the law enforcement community, as well as others. This is the fifteenth annual plunge for Seaside, and whose plunge is in a little over a month on 02/23/08. This year is the second year for Wildwood and their plunge is next weekend, 01/19/08.

This is obviously a cause near and dear to me, having a son with Down Syndrome. Last year in Seaside alone over 2,500 people went into the 33 degree Atlantic Ocean to help raise funds to support Special Olympics activities and awareness in New Jersey. If you live in Jersey and this isn’t an activity you can participate in, take some time and go watch it happen. It’s an amazing sight to see, and the participants really appreciate the support.

It’s a bug museum. Ewwwwwwww. I actually got a flyer in the mail that a place called Insectropolis has opened on Route 9 in Toms River, the next town over. Their goal is to be the premier insect learning center in South Jersey. Insectropolis features 12 exhibit rooms that offer touch screen computer games, hands on exhibits, touch stations, live and dry displays, and a bug store. Insectropolis is owned by the owners of a local termite and pest control company. My eleven year old thinks it’s cool. I think it’s gross.