The Waterville Boys & Girls Club and YMCA held its 16th Annual Polar Bear Dip last Saturday, March 7, at the Alfond Youth Center. The Dip encourages local businesses and schools to compete against one another to raise as much pledge money as possible, with all proceeds being used to send local children to summer camps.
The Colby Volunteer Center (CVC) rallied participation from students on the Hill, and Colby students combined raised a total of $1,478. While they were not able to break last year's total of $2,100, the event brought out a lot of participants and made it a fun event. The football, baseball and men's soccer teams participated, as well as several individual jumpers.
The Colby football team, which has participated in the Polar Bear Dip for the past several years, played a key role in the College's fundraising. The team as a whole raised $702. Members were able to raise funds by donating themselves, asking friends around campus and contacting family members.
Brian Mellett '12 took an active role in collecting donations for the dip. "I gave some myself, and then I went and asked my parents, coaches and faculty and staff of the College," he said.
The players had a great time at the actual dip as well. "The event was a good time and the water was extremely cold," Sam Nuber '12 said. "There was a pretty large turnout and I think the Waterville people enjoyed watching larger-than-average Colby students scream and fall into a tiny pool."
While sports teams on campus continue to provide many participants, the CVC encourages any students that wish to help raise money and take a quick dip to come out and jump at the event next year.