Campus Police hosted the N.C. State 5k and Polar Plunge fundraiser for the Special Olympics of North Carolina on Centennial Campus Saturday.
Attendees participated in the 5k run/walk in the morning, which was followed by the Polar Plunge in Lake Raleigh. The Polar Plunge was not required, and to differentiate from the runners there were two groups of runners and plungers.
There was a $20 to $25 registration fee range depending upon the time of registration, but attendees were encouraged to fundraise more than the minimum. The final amount raised was $55,000 between the 5k and Polar Plunge, according to Megan O’Donnell, the vice president of communications for Special Olympics of North Carolina.
Keith Fishburne, President and CEO of the Special Olympics of North Carolina, was in attendance. He said the Special Olympics hosts 375 events per year, all of which is funded through donations and fundraising events like the one held Saturday.
N.C. State campus police have been a huge help to the Special Olympics cause, according to Fishburne.
Hannah Smith, a senior in high school, walked the 5k along with a friend.
“My little sister has Down syndrome; she’s 15,” Smith said. “My dad found this on the internet, and he was like, ‘we should all do this because it all goes to the Special Olympics.'”
An award ceremony followed the 5k. Awards were given to runners who placed highly based on their age groups. Debra Morgan, anchor for WRAL-TV in Raleigh, emceed the 5k at the finish line.
Special Olympics athletes handed out medals at the podium.
Delaney Boull placed first in the 13-19 age group with a time of around 24 minutes. Although she did not participate in the polar plunge, she said her legs were sore from swimming earlier in the day.
“My brother has special needs,” Boull said. “[Students from] my school were out here doing it through a club that assists special needs children called club Unify.”
After a singing of the national anthem, the Polar Plunge began at Lake Raleigh.
Participants were clad in various costumes. Some plungers formed teams. A team representing Skanska, an international construction company, wore hard hats and yellow construction vests. Skanska raised more than $15,000 for the Special Olympics this year.
David Serxner, who is going into his sixteenth year as a University library employee, was first in the water. He wore a polar bear costume and painted his face to match.
“The Special Olympics is a fantastic cause,” Serxner said. “There are great people out here. It’s fun.”
This was not Serxner’s first plunge.
“Six years ago, when the Staff Senate started the polar plunge, I said I’m going to jump.”
A group of five N.C. State students, including sophomore Chad Baker, teamed up for the plunge. They did not run the 5k, but they raised $300 between them for the polar plunge. They braved the water in their swimsuits.
“Some of us [from the team] will be studying in Australia next year,” Baker said. “I will definitely be out here next year with whoever is still in town, or with other friends.”
