UNCOMN Polar Plunge and 5K 2021
Each year, UNCOMN organizes teams to take a leap of faith and plunge into freezing waters to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. For the third straight year, UNCOMN won the Golden Plunger Award for the largest company fundraising team on behalf of Special Olympics Illinois. We even surpassed our record last year by $1,100!
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
One of UNCOMN’s inherent values is to Cultivate Beauty and we are dedicated to continuing fundraising for such an impactful cause.
2021 Dumpster Dive
This year’s Polar Plunge & Socially Distanced 5k Fun Run was a chilly blast! Instead of the usual plunge into Carlyle Lake, RedBox+ St. Louis Metro East graciously donated a brand new 20-yard dumpster filled with over 4,000 gallons of freezing water for plungers to #BeBoldGetCold in the Knights of Columbus Hall parking lot in O’Fallon, Illinois.
In 2021, UNCOMN raised over $5,600 for Special Olympics Illinois. We can’t wait for next year’s event. 2021’s record will be short-lived!
A very special thanks to the following organizations:
- The Special Olympics of Illinois
- Redbox+ St. Louis Metro East
- KC Hall of O’Fallon
- Malasyia Damansara (artlahdesigns)
- UNCOMN’s Special Olympics 5k and Dumpster Dive Planning Team
We hope that watching this year’s video inspires you to get involved in Polar Plunge 2022!
2020 UNCOMN Polar Plunge
In 2020, UNCOMN broke a record for “triple plunging”! Our team went under the water three separate times. We had 37 amazing plungers and raised over $4,500 for Special Olympics Illinois.
2019 UNCOMN Polar Plunge
UNCOMN raised over $3,500 in 2019 and had over 40 plungers that included Special Olympic athletes and junior ROTC cadets from Cahokia HS.
Top Plunger
Bill Howard $2,008
Top Team
UNCOMN Business Architect Team $3,778
Best Costume
Joel Gherardini with Sidekicks Are People Too
Best Team Costume
Highland FOP & Friends
Cool School Challenge
Wesclin Wacky Warriors $3,187
Top Cop
Steven Whritenour Centralia P.D. $2,525
Top Gun (Top Fundraising Department)
O’Fallon P.D. $6,291
Each year we are amazed by the time and resources dedicated to supporting organizations in our community. UNCOMN thanks team members, friends, and family for their continuous support and participation in the Polar Plunge. Together we are helping change the lives of over 23,000 athletes and 20,000 young athletes by partnering with Special Olympics Illinois annually!
