It takes a special kind of devotion for someone to leap into a 33-degree lake for charity, and Reston was proud to host lots of these generous and hilarious people yesterday. On Saturday, February 7, 2015, the eighth annual Freezin’ for a Reason Virginia Polar Dip took place at Lake Anne Plaza. This event raises money for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses. You can learn more about Camp Sunshine in our article from last week here.
This year there were 336 brave, kind, and slightly crazy people who jumped. Participants in the Virginia Polar Dip raised money to sponsor their jump, with each person donating at least $100. One team raised $19,000!
We were there to take lots of photos of all the action. Here are some of our favorites. To see our complete photo gallery, don’t miss the Virginia Polar Dip album on our Facebook page.
The final jumpers were Gail and Bill Toth, who founded the Virginia Polar Dip after their daughter was a cancer patient at Camp Sunshine. Just before they jumped, it was announced that this year’s event raised $111,000 dollars. Gail was moved to tears. Then they learned that this year’s Virginia Polar Dip raised more money than any Camp Sunshine polar dip throughout the country in the history of the event.
Gail and Bill Toth ended the event with a celebratory jump into the lake, as the crowd cheered.
Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this wonderful event. What a great community we have here in Reston.
For our complete set of photos from the 2015 Virginia Polar Dip, be sure to check out our Facebook photo album. There are lots more!
Related stories:
Virginia Polar Dip: Are You Brave Enough to Get Freezin’ for a Reason?
Ten Reasons to Come to Lake Anne in the Middle of Winter
Photo Gallery: Jingle on Lake Anne 2014
Photo Gallery: A Celebration of Diversity at the 2014 Reston Multicultural Festival
