Frozen fun plunge
Published 6:20 pm Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Members of the Dutchtown Jumpers get down before their leap into East Side Lake during Plunging for Pink Saturday afternoon. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Members of the Pet Supplies Plus team are silouhetted by the sun during Plunging for Pink Saturday at East Side Lake. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Two of three jumpers out of the Chicken Coup hit the water during Plunging for Pink last year at East Side Lake. Herald file photo
Joe Bower of the Angry Hog team gets ready to throw a T-shirt to the crowd before his team’s jump into East Side Lake Saturday afternoon during Plunging for Pink. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Akkerman team jumps into East Side Lake Saturday during Plunging for Pink. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Mower County Sheriff’s deputy Evan Sorenson and the rest of the Mower County Sheriff’s Department team walk out of East Side Lake after their jump during Plunging for Pink jump Saturday at East Side Lake. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Luke H. Hoeppner, Ph.D., right, and Sergio Gradilone, Ph.D. leap into the frigid waters of East Side Lake during a past Plunging for Pink. Herald file photo
A group of youngsters dip their pinkies into East Side Lake during Plunging for Pink last year at East Side Lake. Herald file photo
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If you heard a splash or a scream on Saturday afternoon, it was just the usual late January tradition of Plunging for Pink, which raises funds for the Hormel Institute through the larger effort of Paint the Town Pink.
The event drew 120 jumpers and three people braved it and jumped from the chicken coop. The total donations drawn will be announced during the Bruins’ Paint the Rink Pink game, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday against the North Iowa Bulls.
Bires and her husband Toren have led the planning for the event since the 2017 Plunging for Pink. They will now be passing the leadership roles to Jacob and Brittni Gross, who for years have supported the fundraiser.
“It’s been very rewarding. We have a very good committee of volunteers,” Bires said. “A lot of our volunteers didn’t really have anything to do with the committee. People come together and they want to help any way that they can. It’s a good cause and it’s very rewarding to help in any way we can. Hopefully we’ll find a cure someday.”
The event drew less jumpers than in the past, but Bires said that was expected due to COVID-19. After the jump, there were silent auctions, a free donation meal for the jumpers and raffle tickets.
“It was a good day,” Bires said. “It was busy and we had a good turnout.”
There is still a chance to give to the cause as a live auction is being held at http://payitforwardinc.betterworld.org/auctions/plunging-pink-2022?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fsm. The auction will run until 8 p.m. Thursday night.
The auction includes items from various local businesses and can be found on Facebook under Eat, Shop, Drink Austin.
