Instead of plunging into the Hudson on New Year’s Day, some 140 brave souls stood under the plume of water from a Peekskill Fire Department truck and got soaked for a good cause. The This Is Me Foundation’s 12th annual fundraiser raised $21,000 towards their goal of $27,000 on Wednesday at Peekskill’s Riverfront Green.
“When we got here at 10 in the morning we saw how flooded the area was and thought okay, it’s a high tide. But because of the storm on New Year’s Eve that brought a large amount of debris on the beach area and in the water, we decided to make it a spray, said Lauren Brady, co-founder along with her sister Caitlin of the Foundation.
Large logs on the beach area and perhaps submerged in the water, would make it dangerous to have participants run into the water, said Lauren Brady. The beach area also was covered with shrubs and grass. It’s the fourth time the sister’s had a spray down instead of a plunge. The Continental Village Fire department was on hand, along with the Peekskill Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
-
Rob Sheehan and Gabrielle LeBlanc were first time Peekskill Polar Plungers. The couple usually goes to Coney Island Plunge but since moving to Peekskill decided to have a Peekskill New Year’s weekend going to the Ball Drop on Tuesday night and watching the fireworks which they said were one of the best displays they’d seen. “It was a true Peekskill spirit evening. It was empty when we walked downtown around 10 but we came back at 11:40 when the rain stopped and the spirited crowd materialized in time for the ball drop,” said Sheehan. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)
'
-
The excitement ran high as the water started spraying plungers. (Photo by Lauren Brady)
'
-
Jenn Flynn of Mahopac with her two rescue Greyhounds, Sanuk, right and Playa. Seniors, children and lots of dogs attend what has become an annual tradition at the New Year’s Day polar plunge at Peekskill’s Riverfront Green. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)
'
-
The beach area where plungers would normally stand before getting into the water had logs and debris close to shore as a result of Tuesday night’s storm. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)
'
-
It would be unsafe for plungers to wade through this debris. (Photo by Regina Clarkin)
'
Money from the registration fees for the event support the This Is Me Scholarship Fund, inspired by Ryan Risco and Cait Chivonne Polhill. The fund provides college scholarships to local students who have overcome adversity or supported a friend through challenging times, as well as national scholarships for students living with alopecia.
Since its inception in 2012, the fund has awarded 143 scholarships of $500 each to students locally and nationally. The foundation is proud to announce up to 26 scholarships are available through their 2025 scholarship program. Students can download applications at thisismefoundation.com.
