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.

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.