As winter approaches and the water at Hampton Beach gets colder, you may think “this is terrible weather to go swimming in,” but foods teacher Shannon Shurtleff sees it as the perfect opportunity to take a dip for a good cause.
“I started [the Penguin Plunge] because my cousin is a Special Olympic athlete and he swims,” Shurtleff said. “He started [plunging] with me, so we’ve always, for a number of years, done it together.”
For almost two decades, Shurtleff has participated in the plunge, organized by Special Olympics NH, to raise money for our unified teams.
“The Penguin Plunge was originally just one event and it was to help raise money for people with developmental disabilities that participate in the Special Olympics,” Shurtleff said.
Take a look around the school, and you will find posters with QR codes. By scanning these, you can donate money towards the cause and help fund Londonderry’s unified sports teams.
“The funds will go towards uniforms, equipment, and I believe it can go towards transportation as well,” Shurtleff said. “30% of the profits that we raise goes to the unified teams and the other
70% goes towards the rest of the Special Olympic athletes, with whom, a lot of our students participate in anyways.”
As well as the Penguin Plunge, Special Olympics NH also organizes other “dips” and plunges.
“They have a law enforcement dip, a high school dip and then the Penguin Plunge, and it’s all organized by them,” Shurtleff said.
You may be wondering, “What do I have to do to participate in the plunge?”
“I have put flyers up around the school, [which] helps in getting the word out,” Shurtleff said. “I think part of the hesitancy to plunge is having to raise $250 to participate, but come to me and I will tell you how to do that easily, because there is definitely a strategy.”
The collective group from LHS that participates in the Penguin Plunge are all part of the team page. The excess funds from [team] members can be contributed to other individuals’ fundraising. As someone who has participated in the plunge for almost 20 years, Shurtleff is the person to ask for tips and tricks on how to raise money to participate.
“Even if you can’t individually raise $250, I already have everything that I need, so if you really wanted to do it, I could take some of my money and donate it towards your page,” Shurtleff said. “The team as a whole has their own individual fundraising page, so any extra that an individual might need, we can take from the team page. It’s really not hard to raise the $250.”
If taking a dip at Hampton Beach in the middle of winter is not something for you, you can still donate money without participating. Though, if you’re considering doing the plunge, Shurtleff is there to provide motivation and support.
“If you’re thinking about it, do it. It’s a lot of fun, but I would never force anybody to do it,” Shurtleff said. “I can definitely give tips and tricks on plunge day, and I can ease the anxiety. It is so fun and so rewarding, and you can see the camaraderie when you’re out there.”
Shurtleff too has had some challenging plunge days to push through.
“My first year was 2006, and it was freezing. It was 21 degrees and the wind chill probably dropped it to 15 degrees. It was insane how cold it was that year, but everybody just got so excited about it. I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m not doing this next year,’” Shurtleff said. “I raised a bunch of money the following year and did it with my cousin, and it was amazing. I have not ever looked back.”
Join Shurtleff and many other staff and students at Hampton Beach on Feb. 8. In the meantime, look around the school for the QR codes to register or donate to the cause. Last year, $3,000 was donated, and this year we are looking to beat that goal and outclass Pinkerton.
“If you are questioning it, just do it. It’s so fun, and absolutely something that you can put on your resume for volunteering for special Olympics,” Shurtleff said. “It’s definitely something I feel like a lot of people would end up enjoying.”
