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T-SHIRTS, HATS, LAPEL PINS NOW AVAILABLE

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The Jacksonport Polar Bear Club invites you to join them in Jacksonport, Wisconsin, each New Year's Day at 12 Noon sharp for a refreshing dip in the icy water of Lake Michigan as they have for the past 20 years. Most of the members survived, and you can too!

Polar Bears are starting to gather in Jacksonport at Lakeside Park!

By Sue Jarosh

There is a noticeable increase in cars driving down to the end of Park Road to check out the shore "conditions." The Jacksonport Polar Bear Club 23rd Annual Plunge is just around the corner. There are two exciting new additions to the 23rd Annual Polar Bear Plunge. The Fire Departments of Door County will be working together to provide an "all you can eat pancake breakfast" for the public at the Jacksonport Town Hall located on Hw off Hwy 57 in Jacksonport. Pancakes will be cooked and served by the "Great Pancake Show" from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Profits will benefit all participating fire departments.

In addition to the Pancake Breakfast, a group of filmmakers is shooting a feature film in beautiful Door County this winter, and can’t wait to freeze their toes off with the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club on New Year’s Day. Participants may notice some cameras filming the dip into Lake Michigan this year; some of that footage of the icy plunge may be used in the film, Feed The Fish. Film producers want participants and observers to PLEASE NOTE that you will have a better chance of being on camera if you aren't wearing clothing with logos.

Although none of the cast will be on site on January 1, 2009, film makers will be recreating the Polar Bear scene on a smaller level at a date to be determined in late February, and would love to have some of the Polar Bears to join in the plunge for that time as well. Feel free to contact Alison at alisonabrohams@gmail.com, or 310-383-6032 if you are interested. More information about the film is at www.feedthefishmovie.com. The registration table for the Polar Bear Plunge will be set up at the shelter at Lakeside Park located on Hwy. 57, 11 miles north of Sturgeon Bay. All participants must sign the hold harmless agreement prior to the plunge. There is a NEW agreement this year in lieu of the film so all that go in must sign this new form. Please allow enough time to read and sign the new release. The agreement can be run off from the website and brought to the park Registration Booth. Download the form here.

This year a 2009 souvenir T-shirt will be available at the Registration Booth. Lapel pins, caps and fleece jackets are also available in limited quantities. Hot beverages will also be available at the Registration area in Lakeside Park. Call 920-823-2288 for further information.

If you are planning to be a Polar Bear, here are Important instructions and helpful hints you should read before next New Year's Day!

So once a year isn't enough for you? Now you can help raise funds for local Special Olympics athletes, with swimming events in Wisconsin February thru March. Click on the happy diving bear above to visit their site.

ROAD TRIP!!!

The Polar Bears were 20th Century-Fox's special guests on March 12, 2002 for the "Outdoor Frozen Premiere" of the fun film ICE AGE.

Click on the big group photo below to see 3 more pages of pictures!

Jacksonport Polar Bears depart on a road trip

Wisconsin Trails Magazine wrote about our trip in the June 2002 issue, page 14. See the article with our picture in Wisconsin libraries now!

Read Heidi Hodges' Door County Advocate article about the 2000 event!

Annual Date Number of
"Swimmers"
Air
Temp
1st 12/26/1986 1 +22°F
2nd 12/26/1987 1 +28°F
3rd 12/26/1988 1 +19°F
4th 12/28/1989 3 +29°F
5th 12/27/1990 12 +27°F
6th 12/27/1991 14 +9°F
7th 01/01/1993 23 +4°F
8th 01/01/1994 52 +33°F
9th 01/01/1995 71 +18°F
10th 01/01/1996 106 +22°F
11th 01/01/1997 110 +25°F
12th 01/01/1998 290 +34°F
13th 01/01/1999 175 +10°F
14th 01/01/2000 600 +33°F
15th 01/01/2001 700 +26°F
16th 01/01/2002 700 +30°F
17th 01/01/2003 800 +28°F
18th 01/01/2004 600 +32°F
19th 01/01/2005 700 +29°F
20th 01/01/2006 500 +37°F
21st 01/01/2007 800 +38°F
22nd 01/01/2008 850 +33°F
23rd 01/01/2009 750 +31°F
24th 01/01/2010 ??? ???
(L-R) J. R. and Jon Jarosh.
Does cold water shrink heads?

"Any idiot can throw himself in freezing water, but it takes a real Polar Bear to do it 16 years in a row."
– J.R. Jarosh
"Isn't the lake beautiful?"
– Irma Schira Tucker
"Is that an icicle in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
– Mae West
"Your poor heart. There's not enough room in your body for it when you hit the water."
– Bob Brauer
"Our lives are not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the times that take our breath away."
– Tom Minahan

Where is Jacksonport, Door County, Wisconsin? We're glad you asked. Here are some maps courtesy of Mike's Port Pub.

For more information about the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club, contact:

COOL LINKS


The Boulder (Colorado) Polar Bear Club, including lists of Other Polar Bear sites in USA and world-wide

Polar Bear Club of Coney Island, NY

The Polar Plunge in New York

"Winterschwimmen" in Germany


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