Annual Passion Plunge Held At New Town Pump In East Helena
Author: Nancy Marks, MT43 News reporter
Annual Passion Plunge Held at New Town Pump in East Helena
MT43 News Staff Reporter
The day was perfect for a dip in frigid water for the Special Olympics annual Passion Plunge fundraiser. The weather was above zero, snowing lightly, excitement filled the air.
According to Bee McLean, one of the East Helena Firefighting volunteers, somewhere near 200 brave folks showed up to cheer on the athletes who jumped in frigid tanks, then jumped out to run to hot water tanks provided by the Baxendale Fire Department volunteers. Although there were not as many participants as last year, McLean said, she noted some of the athletes’ enthusiasm for the fundraiser. “One guy raised $2,000 before he signed up to jump in,” she said.
The Passion Plunge is a Law Enforcement Torch Run signature event for Special Olympics. Sheriff’s officers, fire department volunteers and St.Peter's Hospital ambulance crews from Helena and East Helena helped organize the event.with the support of Town Pump at its new location just west of East Helena.
Special Olympics was the brainchild of Eunice Kennedy Shriver who realized there was no support for intellectually disabled children and adults, held the first Olympics in her backyard in 1950. By 1970 the first international Special Olympic Summer Games were held with 193 countries and 5.4million athletes across the world.
That year Special Olympics Montana was founded. Billings hosted the first Olympic games. In the 50 plus years since, the games have hosted 3,000 athletes and offered competition in 13 sports held at 25 different meets annually. Their motto is to foster inclusion, empower athletes of all abilities and remove barriers for intellectually disabled children and adults.
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Bee McLean, East Helena Fire Department
Image 1 Caption: Two participants jump into frigid waters at the Annual Passion Plunge fundraiser for Special Olympics in East Helena last Saturday. McLean explained the participants jumped in slowly, ran and jumped in or crawled in the water tanks.
Bee McLean, East Helena Fire Department
Image 2 Caption: Participant smiles as he crawls out of the frigid water, glad to be finished with the fundraiser plunge.
Bee McLean, East Helena Fire Department
