The Mat Su Valley Polar Plunge 2011

Meet my Girlfriend Jodi Vandike. We met in the first ward we were in, here in AK. We don't hang out all that much, but I feel that we're pretty close. I've taken pictures of Jodi while she was very pregnant. I've taken pictures of her family, of her baby when she was born, and I've taken pictures for her Halloween Party. She would have to be the "Robert's, and Hatch's" here in AK. She asked me to go with her on Saturday to take pictures of her 'TAKING THE PLUNGE'. For most of you that have no idea what that is, let me explain. In February here in AK we have people that donate money to charity (this year being the local food pantry, and turn a leaf, which is a thrift store chain here). All the plungers like Jodi had to raise $100 to plunge. Some actually raised the money and others paid it to jump. They also could dress up, to entice others to donate. Some people dressed up to the max, and others didn't so much. Some people jumped for cancer awareness, some people jumped because someone said they couldn't (lower I'll explain more). This was a pretty fun event to witness. There is also one that is held in Anchorage. I'm unsure of when that one is, or if it's already happened. But where we live, ours was Saturday.

 This is Jodi Registering. Jodi raised $100 online, she didn't have to donate any of her own personal funds to do this. Which is pretty awesome.

 This is the famous $100 bottle of H20. Yep, just water. I'm pretty sure it's the stupid bottle your paying for. It has a blue LED light in the bottom of the glass that has a button, similar to a watch that turns it on.....LAME!!! However, people that raised over $500 got one for free. Every body else that plunged and raised that $100 got a bag that had a few free things in it. Like a towel, chips, local sponsor CRAP....you know, pens, pads, chip clips, ohh and we can't forget the plunger T-shirt.

 This is the thermometer to measure the amount that was donated. This is where it was when Jodi registered. She was #47 out of 100. I hear that it came close to meeting that $50,000 goal at the top.

These are the blocks of ice that were cut out of the pool that the 100 plungers would be plunging into. They are about 4 feet high, I have NO CLUE, how long they are. But here is the Pool, they came from. Good thing someone Did OK in Geometry :).

 Lucky for the plungers the Water Rescue Team was there standing by in case something happened.

 These are the girls that jumped last year, minus Jodi. They are with our Credit Union. Alaska USA Federal Credit Union. Jodi worked there before she had her baby. Jodi couldn't jump last year because she was pregnant. So they welcomed her with open arms this year.

 The first jumper was older, he had lost his wife to cancer, hence the reason he was all decked out in pink. He didn't waste any time jumping. He ran and did a back flip. This shot is of him in mid air. I was shocked. I thought he was going to do a cannon ball or something. But he did a back flip and looked AWESOME.

 These girls are foreign exchange students from Thailand.











This is Adrienne and Mariah. I missed their jumping picture, so I stole one off facebook. They took Starbuck aprons and hats and changed the logo's to say Alaskan Valley Plungers 2011....if I remember correctly.

This is Joy and Megan. They also made the front page newspaper with their costumes and their in sync jump :).

 As Jodi stood out there freezing her feet on the frozen red carpet she played it well that she was READY for this. Remember this is Jodi's first time. In my opinion I think she's NUTS. I also want to point out that between each jumper they would stir the water to make sure it wasn't going to freeze. It was 12 degrees and luckily for the plungers, it wasn't windy. Which has been most days this winter.

 And she did it. I love this picture. She obviously feels the water, and there is NO backing up. I love that it looks as if she's standing on the water. I bet at that moment she wished that she could run on it to the other side and skip the whole part where she goes in over her head.

 Her face says it all.

 And her big breath. I don't know how she manages to get out. I think I would have seized up not been able to. but she did it.

 This is the most awesome shot. This is the one that is pretty stink'n similar to the one the news camera got. I must say mine shot is much cooler. It totally looks like they're running on water.

 But we all know better.

 After Jodi got her towel, she didn't want to change until she could feel her feet. She said she could barely feel the ladder to climb out with.

 And this is a few minutes after her jump.

 To me the coolest jump was this man. He works with the radio station that was sponsoring. Someone told him that he couldn't do it because he was in wheel chair. He's Paraplegic. He had a heart of gold and didn't show 1 sign of being anxious. When he went in I couldn't help but tear up.

Even as he was going in he was cheering himself on. Such a great attitude. I was truly inspired.











After they Water Rescue team helped him and his friend out, the crowd cheered like crazy. It was so cool to see him show EVERYONE that he could.













And then last but not least that I stayed for was these crazy girls. As they were waiting the Male Radio announcer was taking his time talking and procrastinating these girls' turn. He kept commenting on how they looked warm. It was pretty funny. Remember it was only 12 degrees. Pretty warm for what we've been getting lately. They both jumped and it was fun. I wanted to also share the one scary moment of these jumps. There was a girl that jumped that her body did seize up. She couldn't get out. I didn't get the pictures of her, because I wasn't ready, I had just come from down stair to up stairs and had just found my picture taking spot. The Water Rescue Team, was on her so fast. It was kind of scary. When they got her out, she couldn't walk. They had to take her into the building as they were carrying her, her legs were twitching. It didn't look normal at all. I am shocked that there wasn't more problems like that. Having to stir the water between plungers. It was crazy watching.

I do have to admit that for the cause, it is a great way to get people to donate. I joked with some of the girls that I would totally do it with Pasties next year. LOL.....I wonder how many people I could get to donate doing that. We had talked about how there is a strategy, more clothes wasn't great for after wards because you had to try and get all those wet frozen clothes off. Being frozen yourself, I would think that would be the worst. I've been wet, and cold in clothes before and it isn't the best combo. The other option would be little clothing would be easy to get warm after wards, but you would freeze in the beginning If you could go out there in your bath towel, strip off, jump in and get out and have your towel right away It may not be so bad....but like the girls in the bikini's it doesn't look so easy. Like I said, I'd be curious to find out how much would be donated.

I had a lot of fun taking pictures of such a crazy Alaskan event. I'm for surely going next year....I'm unsure of whether or not I'll be in front of the camera or behind it. But I'll be there  :).