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I have been a Polar Bear for 1 year.
It was a lot of fun and I'm going to do it again with my mom.
–Brittany Hunt, 12
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3 years. Why? Because it was something different and a challenge!
–Donald J. Maleport
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Our lives are not measured by the number of breaths we take, but
by the moments that take our breath away.
–Tom Minahan
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I have been a polar bear all my life! Born on the cold shores of the
Irish Sea. My family swam all year – much to the surprise of
even the locals. Recently,
an ear/nose/throat specialist took one look in my ears and declared,
"cold water swimmer, eh?"
I am a co-founder and member of a rival (but secret) full moon skinny-dipping
club entitled "The Aqualunatics." Now the secret's out of the bag, see me or
my crazy wife Janelle for venues. Dates are set once a month by the way!
I've been jumping into the waters off Jacksonport for most of the New Year's
Day celebrations. If has evolved into an event that is a "must." The last few
years have been wimpy, feckless shadows of what cold water
winters should be, and
the club has grown by leaps and no bounds. Hoever, when the real
winters return, as they inevitably will, real polar bears will turn up
even without cameras. For we know, deep in our trunks, there lies ice
in chunks, freezing our tootsies (and more) off, blood scrapes frame our
wide grins and blue veins stand proud, for we are Da Pee Bears, Da one and
only one/one any year, everyyear whiteknuckled exposure meters.
Oh to be a polar bear
To swim with chunks of ice
To plunge and freeze your ..s off
And clear my hangover, that's nice.
– Ade Webber
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I can always get warm again, and no one has died yet. I surprised my husband
and wore my swimsuit under my coat. After that I was hooked.
My favorite year was 1997, the "year of the double dip." that year
we jumped one-by-one into a hole the firemen kept open. We had to climb
a ladder to get out. It was fairly warm and we did a double-dip! People
sent me newspaper clippings from Alaska, Boston, and California.
It's a great way to start the new year, wide awake and half-frozen.
– Cheryl Bishop
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Our photo was in papers from South Africa to Arizona to Alaska (in 1997)
This year was my 7th time...I wonder about my sanity and after
we finish I have an "aha" experience and I'm so glad I did it.
– Phil Sweet, 64
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This makes my 5th year as a JPBC member as well as a member of the TTX
Polar Bear Club.
It's a condition of my employment! (Therma-Tron-X)
Once you do it, you're hooked!
I have been able to share this event with my husband, our children and
friends. It is a great tradition to look forward to each year!
– Kelly Lu Mays
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Almost like being baptised. (my 6th year)
– Mara Martin
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Can't wait to do it again!
– Michelle Koontz, 18
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I've been a Polar Bear in Jacksonport for 16 years, and look forward to
at least quadrupling that number before I retire.
–J.R. Jarosh, 29
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I have been a polar bear for 1 year now.
I know next time I won't be afraid to try it again!
–Kim Luft, 13
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Me Likey cold.
–Matt Bishop, 19 since 1990
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My first time, my husband was working out of town, so I went in with
my son. Brrr...feet were cold.
–Monica Roel
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Because I was dared.
–Alex Rael
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Two years. A baptism of sorts, a new start to break the pattern of a
boring lifestyle.
Or maybe just for the fun of it.
–Terry Collebrusco
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2 years. I thought it would be very fun, and it was. I want to keep on
doing it every year!
–Heather Koontz
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Been jumping off Cave point for 5 decades so thought I'd try a winter
plunge instead. I was a rookie in 2001.
–John H. Paul
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DoorCam: Daily Lake Michigan pictures!
