Annual plunge aiding Special Olympics mixes icy water, participants' exuberance

Leader-Telegram - 2/26/2018

Feb. 26--Although the event may be remembered as the day every year that nearly 500 folks, young and old, jump into a frigid lake in the middle of winter in Wisconsin, for Vicki Tjelta it's more than that.

"It's very inspiring to see people in the community here," she said on Sunday, at the annual Polar Plunge on Half Moon Lake, which benefits Special Olympics Wisconsin.

The Eau Claire resident's son, Dan Tjelta, who has Down syndrome and suffers from hearing loss, has been part of Special Olympics since he was 8 years old. Now, after more than a decade of involvement, Dan Tjelta, 21, continues to be involved in athletics through the organization all year long -- including bowling, snowshoeing, basketball and, his favorite, track.

"It's really been a way to have camaraderie with his friends and to be supported by the community," Vicki Tjelta said. "So it's been great."

Although the Tjelta family didn't take the jump themselves, about 450 others, donning outfits ranging from group T-shirts to crazy costumes, made the great leap into Half Moon Lake, and more than $95,000 was raised for Special Olympics, said event organizer Lisa Walter.

This year marked Walter's first as event organizer, though the retired police officer has been a volunteer with Special Olympics for about 30 years through a partnership between the organization and law enforcement, she said.

"I don't have a direct connection (family or friends who are Special Olympic athletes), but law enforcement's connection has been pretty amazing," she said. "Our athletes are amazing."

To Vicki Tjelta, that's what is so great about the Polar Plunge event -- seeing firsthand the community's support that they don't see on a day to day basis.

"What's really cool, to me, is even seeing the young people jumping, like middle schoolers, who took the time to put their own team together," she said. "That was cool that they're starting that so young and learning to support people with special needs."

Dan Tjelta agreed the event was fun, particularly getting to participate in the opening ceremony with other athletes -- he had a request for next year.

"I want to come back," he told his mom, who smiled at him. "And I want to jump!"

"I don't know if you really wanna do that," she responded with a laugh.

When asked about her jump, Andrea Konecny, 30, widened her eyes and laughed to herself.

"It was cold -- really cold. And fun. And cold," she said, continuing to laugh with her friends who joined her in the jump. "Have I mentioned that it was cold?"

Joining in the conversation, Rebecca Harps of Chippewa Falls agreed through chuckles.

"I'm from California originally," Harps, 23, said. "So yeah. It was pretty cold."

Although Konecny, who dressed up as a unicorn for the jump, doesn't have a family member or friend involved with Special Olympics, she said she's been participating in the Polar Plunge for several years -- while she's lived in Eau Claire, as well as when she lived in Duluth, Minn.

"We love Special Olympics. It's a big deal, and we think it's awesome," Konecny said. "They should have these opportunities, so I'm more than willing to help raise money for them. I'd do it a million times over."

Contact: samantha.west@ecpc.com, @SamanthaWest196 on Twitter

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