West Salem High School team members wear their costumes while plunging into the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Dozens of students, educators, police and community supporters braved icy waters at the Illahe Country Club in Salem Saturday for the annual Polar Plunge.
The Special Olympics fundraiser helps support programs for athletes and students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. It included a 5k run before the plunge, as well as a costume contest.
Special Olympics supports Unified programs, which provide opportunities for students with and without disabilities to play sports and take classes together at Salem schools.
The event raised more than $15,000, according to the organization’s fundraising page. Polar Plunges also took place in Portland, Bend and Eugene, with a southern Oregon event scheduled for March 8.
Top teams were “KickinCancer in the ICE eWater,” with over $4,500, and the Salem Police Department, with $3,350.
The South Salem High School team take a jump into the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Participants take a plunge into the Illahee Country Club pool during the Individual event at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Gracie Fields, Heather Bennett, Dan McNeely, Andrew Shaw, and Greg Fields from Walker Unified get help preparing their costumes at the Illahe Country Club before the start of the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Jasmyn Gentzkow, 16, and Marin Dentinger, 17, cross the finish line after running a 5K race the Illahe Country Club before the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Bags of ice poolside at the Illahe Country Club before the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Zak Stone takes the temperature of the water in the pool at the Illahe Country Club before the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The temperature was 53 degrees. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The Judson Unified Cheer Team provided a pre-plunge show poolside at the Illahe Country Club before the start of the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Kevin Zwart recites the Special Olympics athlete’s oath poolside at the Illahe Country Club before the start of Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The Marion County Sheriff’s Office team takes the first plunge into the Illahe Country Club pool during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Megan Miranda and Andrew, Chelsea, Avery, and Harper Stockner from Judson Middle School wait for their turn to jump on deck at the Illahe Country Club at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, Mar.1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Amanda Starkey and Daniel Hart in costume prior to participating in the Salem Polar Plunge event held at the Illahe Country Club on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Salem Mayor Julie Hoy takes a plunge into the Illahe Country Club pool during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Salem Mayor Julie Hoy after taking a plunge into the Illahe Country Club pool during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)A participant from the Sumpter Stingrays team seemed a little hesitant before taking a jump into the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Gracie Fields as Fiona from Shrek exiting the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Team members from Sprague High School not only did a plunge but also swam laps in the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Spectators poolside at the Illahe Country Club pool watch the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)A team member from Claggett Creek Middle School Unified hits the 53 degree water in the Illahe Country Club pool during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Team members from Claggett Creek Middle School Unified exit the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)A team member from Auburn Unified Astros takes a plunge at the Illahe Country Club pool during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Team Ashley jumps into the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Kevin Zwart from the Kroc Center swims extra laps doing the butterfly stroke after his plunge into the Illahe Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)The emcees of the event, Zak Stone and Jazmin Hayworth take their plunge into the Illahee Country Club pool at the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)Anthony Rinaldi, Leisha Vogl, Laine Fisher-Gayle, and Emilia Gorecki of the Sensible Rehab team poolside at the Illahee Country Club during the Salem Polar Plunge event on Saturday, March 1, 2025. (Laura Tesler/Special to Salem Reporter)
Correction: This article originally misspelled Jazmin Hayworth’s first name. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.
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Laura Tesler has lived in Salem, Oregon for 20 years and is originally from Flint, MI. Laura has been an underwater photographer for 15 years, and is an avid scuba diver. Topside, she has been taking photographs since age 12, and currently works on assignment for the Salem Reporter, and full time purchasing land for fish and wildlife habitat in the Willamette Valley. Laura attended Oregon State University, and has traveled extensively all over the world and the United States.
