ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Rotary Club’s sixth annual Polar Bear Plunge Feb. 3 beat its own record with more than $150,000 raised.
On the morning of the plunge, the Rotary Club’s $150,000 goal had been surpassed. The latest update shows the 2024 dousing raised just shy of $159,000.
It was around 50 degrees when more than 100 participants and spectators gathered around the Wills Park pool for the 10 a.m. plunge.
The yearly fundraiser invites nonprofits, schools, clubs, sports teams and community groups to dive into the icy water to raise money for a cause of their choice. Participants can also create a new team or sign up as individual jumpers.
The top two earning teams were the Lionheart Life Center and the Alpharetta Symphony. Lionheart, a nonprofit offering educational and therapeutic services to individuals with autism and developmental challenges, raised $14,629 as of Feb. 5.
The Alpharetta Symphony, which was the top team on the morning of the plunge, raked in $14,469.
Alpharetta City Councilman John Hipes, who served as the orchestra’s team captain, said the Polar Bear Plunge is an opportunity for people to support their passions in the community.
“We could all pick, and people in the community who aren’t in Rotary could pick their passion, and go jump in cold water, and the net result is almost $155,000,” Hipes said. “That is the most awesome Rotary project I could ever imagine in my life.”
Although the Polar Bear Plunge is a fundraiser, Hipes said the event is also about creating exposure.
Hipes jumped alongside Alpharetta Symphony Music Director Grant Gilman. With the support of Hipes, Gilman said the orchestra is now playing to audiences at single concerts that it never drew in an entire season.
He said the success of the orchestra shows Alpharetta is poised for big things.
“It definitely has the…
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