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Eleven members of the Dutchess BOCES community braved the cold and windy conditions Saturday to take the Polar Plunge in Fishkill to benefit Special Olympics.
“It went well,” team captain Erin Scott said, adding that the team beat its goal of raising $5,000 by more than $1,000. “We were third place in schools with $6,579,” she said. Overall, the team was 8th of 58 teams.
At the team’s jump time of 10 a.m., the temperature was about 27.
Amy Smith, who teaches science, was a first-time jumper this year. She always wanted to participate but timing didn’t work out. This year it did, and was particularly meaningful as she knows a former Dutchess BOCES student, Ryan Chin, who is competing in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, next month in the figure skating competition.
“I like to challenge myself to do things I don’t like to do,” she said. “I immediately said I would do it again. It feels good to raise money for Special Olympics and to come together with my colleagues and do something crazy, it bonds you,” she said of the experience.
Scott said of the 11 jumpers, there were staff representatives from administration, SPC, CTI and one student. Other students from the Security and Law program volunteered to help at registration and with security.
All money raised goes to athletes and competitions in the Hudson Valley, Scott said. The Special Olympics Basketball Skills Competition will be held March 30 at Marist College.