Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
LEESBURG – For every participant in the ninth annual Pie-Eyed Petey’s Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday, Petey’s co-owner Barb Hamer said they collected an average of $11 per jumper for the North Webster food pantry.
“We had 137 people sign up. Donations averaged out to $11 per person who jumped. We collected over $1,500 in cash donations and a ton of (nonperishable) food. A lot of people jumped and we had people from far away,” Hamer said.
Saturday’s weather was relatively warm, reaching about 37 degrees by the 1 p.m. jump time, helping to motivate people to come out to participate. That’s the same temperature as the water, according to the Kosciusko County Dive Team, which attended the event.
In 2017, with unseasonably warm 60 degrees, about 154 people jumped into Tippecanoe Lake. There were 120 participants in 2016 when it was a bit colder.
Brian Underwood, of Elwood, sarcastically described the water as “warm” after he was done taking the plunge. “If fish can live in it, so can I.”
“For about five minutes,” his friend, Connell Pierce, Indianapolis, added.
Underwood and Pierce were joined at the plunge with their friends Luke Hartson, Indianapolis, and Dustin Robbins, Cicero. The men have taken part in the charitable event for many years, often in costumes. This year was no different as they wore morph suits – but didn’t wear them into the water so as not to damage them.
Hartson said there were only four of them this year instead of 10 like last year because “life and wives happen.”
Bethany Claypool, Warsaw, was taking part for her first time with her aunt, who did it once before. Both of them were dressed as purple princesses.
“She (my aunt) mentioned it and it sounded interesting so I though I’d try it,” the 23-year-old Claypool said.
Greg Gebhardt, of Oak Park, Ill., has taken the plunge for seven or eight years.
“It’s something great to do in January,” he said. “Last year it was 61 degrees. We had shorts on. This year ain’t bad. I’ll go in once and never put my head in below the water.”
Gebhardt was going in with his buddy, Jay Sipek, of Chicago, who was doing it for a fourth year.
In 2016, Sipek said he cut his foot because he didn’t wear shoes and he had to see an EMT. It didn’t keep him from doing it again this year, but he wore aqua socks this time.
“My intelligence is growing. The first year I lost my glasses,” he said.
Joey Pierce, 25, of Muncie, was talked into doing it this year for the first time by his friends, the Heuchans, who live on Barbee Lake.
He chose to wear his American flag shorts because, “I’m a patriot to say the least. I’m going to run straight in, full sprint, baby.”
Mike Nave, North Webster, and his girlfriend, Tiffany Nelson, of Ocean Springs, Miss., dressed as vikings. Nave has participated in every polar plunge at Petey’s.
“Because it’s for charity,” he said.
While 2016 was Nelson’s first year to go into water, she said she was “stoked” to do it again this year.
Afterward, Nave said, “It was good. It’s always good. It felt great.”
After getting out of the water, first-timer Noah Molter, Lebanon, said, “It wasn’t too bad. My feet were freezing though. I’ll do it again. I’ve always wanted to do this. I’ll do it again.”
Clay Yeo, Bourbon, also did it Saturday for the first time.
“The walk there was probably the worst part. The concrete was freezing,” he said, adding that the water was cold, but his buddy encouraged him on.
“The adrenaline kicks in when you get out,” Yeo said.
Eric Meyer, of St. Louis, Mo., said, “The jump was awesome. The jump felt like the most refreshing thing I’ve done in years. I’m speechless. It was awesome.”
