An account of the Polar Bear Plunge written by first time plunger and current CCAN intern Rachel O’Keeffe
On January 26th, I became a part of a now 8-year-long tradition: the Polar Bear Plunge! As the crowd around me counted down from 10, the excitement spread like an electric current. My adrenaline was pumping as I ran into the icy Potomac. I kept jumping in the water, for fear that if I stopped, the icy water would further penetrate my skin.
As first time plungers, my fellow Hood College peer, Emily, and I were determined to stay in the water for as long as possible. We lasted 45 seconds in the water, which cost us 15 minutes of numbness in our legs afterwards. Excitement exuded from every plunger, as everyone shouted from the shock of the water and pure exhilaration. The thrilling sensation in the atmosphere even made me forget about the freezing water for a few moments.
As I ran out of the water, surrounded by freezing plungers and excited supporters, I realized that we – those who want to fight climate change – are not alone. The hundreds of plungers, the hundreds of supporters waiting with warm towels, and the thousands who donated in the name of fighting climate change – we’re all in this together.
One can easily become motivated to transition to a more sustainable lifestyle when a dedicated organization, such as Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), is a driving force. I became captivated when I heard CCAN’s mission while attending the Maryland Energy Forum in Frederick, Maryland last October. I signed the petition in support of the fracking moratorium and followed CCAN to Baltimore for the Conference on Fracking Risks and Actions in Maryland. At that point, I wanted to become an integrated part of the CCAN movement.
Now I am a proud intern at CCAN. I am inspired by their thorough grassroots work and their ability to motivate others from the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. areas and beyond to join the fight against climate change. The Polar Bear Plunge illustrates CCAN’s ability to move others to do unordinary things in the name of protecting the environment.
