May 21, 2025
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$100K raised for Special Olympics Illinois during Polar Plunge event

Police from Geneva, Yorkville, Montgomery braved chilly waters to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois

By Joey Weslo
The Inclusive Icicles participate in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

The Inclusive Icicles participate in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at Silver Springs State Park in Yorkville. Nearly $100K was raised to benefit the Special Olympics Illinois to help provide their athletes with year-round training, personal and social development activities, and health education opportunities. (Julie Walker for Shaw Local News Network)

Dressed as chilly penguins, snowmen, polar bears, and brightly-colored shower loofahs, brave community members plunged into the frigid waters of Loon Lake in Yorkville to raise proceeds for the Illinois Special Olympics.

More than 325 “plungers” dove into the waters at Silver Springs State Park on March 2 as part of the 2025 Law Enforcement Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Illinois.

The plungers and supporting community members raised $99,700 to help provide the Special Olympics athletes with year-round training, personal and social development activities, and health education opportunities. To learn more about the programs provided, visit support.soill.org.

The Chilly Penguins (l-r; Shane, Rocky, And Maeve Diaz, Bria Giron and Eloise Nelson) participate in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

The Chilly Penguins (l-r; Shane, Rocky, And Maeve Diaz, Bria Giron and Eloise Nelson) participate in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (Julie Walker for Shaw Local News Network)

This year’s event was sponsored by several participating law enforcement programs, including the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, the Yorkville Police Department, the Geneva Police Department, and the Montgomery Police Department. Yorkville School District 115 also had a plunging team called the “Frozen Foxes.”

One of the fundraiser’s perennial divers, Eva Parisi, said seeing her daughter Sammy thrive in the Special Olympics Illinois showed her a remarkable side of her daughter she’d never seen before. It was as if a whole new world of possibilities opened for Sammy.

To ensure other families with special needs children get to experience the same magic, Parisi said she plunges with her two daughters and husband, who is a Geneva police officer.

“It’s become such a large family event for us, with me, my husband and both my daughters hyping up each other to jump in the freezing water and jump out,” Parisi said. “There’s no age boundaries. Anyone who is willing can come out and give it a try.”

The Geneva Police Department participates in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Many wore “bald” caps and special tee shirts in honor of Officer Chuck Parisi who was prticipating in his final Polar Plunge.

The Geneva Police Department participates in the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Many wore “bald” caps and special tee shirts in honor of Officer Chuck Parisi who was prticipating in his final Polar Plunge. (Julie Walker for Shaw Local News Network)

Parisi participates in the event as a coach for the Kendall County Special Olympics, dubbed the “Comets.” The nonprofit organization trains and supports about 100 athletes with ages ranging from eight to 70, with varying types of intellectual and physical disabilities.

Kendall County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Briars said the charity event grows each year because its great cause really resonates with the community.

“It helps bring the community together, and it’s an opportunity to support a very worthwhile cause,” Briars said. “Every year it gets bigger and more well-attended. It’s really something we all look forward to participating in and being a part of every year.”

Plungers pose for a photo before plunging in Loon Lake at the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Plungers pose for a photo before plunging in Loon Lake at the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (Julie Walker for Shaw Local News Network)

Volunteers with Special Olympics Illinois said since beginning in 1995, the event has grown into a statewide phenomenon.

“The Polar Plunge raises critical funding for the Special Olympics Illinois community of over 55,000 athletes, young athletes, unified partners, coaches and volunteers to have access to life-changing programming,” Special Olympics Illinois said. “This includes year-round sports competition and training, health and wellness, as well as leadership and personal development.”

Frosty Force from the Kendall County Health Department pose for a photo before they take the plunge at the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Frosty Force from the Kendall County Health Department pose for a photo before they take the plunge at the Yorkville Polar Plunge on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (Julie Walker for Shaw Local News Network)

Parisi said she has been involved with the Special Olympics for the past 12 years, since her daughter was eight. She credits the games and social experiences for providing her daughter with opportunities she never dreamed of.

“When my daughter was younger, she wasn’t able to participate in soccer or gymnastics or go to sleepovers because of her disability,” Parisi said. “Special Olympics opened up so many opportunities for her, from sports to socially with all the new connections. The organization has become so dear to my family’s hearts because it showed us a different side of our daughter. This is what a lot of other families experience, as well.”

She said all the participants in the events and activities have become one large supporting team.

“We do a lot of events to help families support each other, whether it’s social needs or helping guide them through all the federal parts of having a child with a disability,” Parisi said. “It certainly helped my husband and I. When we first went, we saw all these families with special needs children and the shared struggles they go through. It opened our eyes and helped us realize we are not the only ones, that this is a strong community, it’s like a family.”