Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Jan. 8, 2025 – Jonesboro community members are preparing to take an icy-cold plunge to raise money for Special Olympics Arkansas during the 2025 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge.

The event will be Feb. 11, with registration beginning at 5 p.m. and the plunge beginning at 6 p.m. at the Jonesboro Pool Center, located at 1421 W. Nettleton Ave.

Theresa Book, Northeast and North Central Field Representative for Special Olympics Arkansas, said this year the Jonesboro Plunge has been moved to the Jonesboro Youth Center (the former YMCA) for more parking since participation has increased.

According to the Polar Plunge – Special Olympics Arkansas website, thousands of people jump into cold water to support Special Olympics Arkansas every year, which helps bring opportunity and inclusion to over 19,500 Special Olympics athletes and young athletes across the state. Arkansas has up to 15 plunges making up the Polar Plunge season, and every plunge location is unique.

“Plunges happen across the state, it is Special Olympics Arkansas (SOAR) biggest fundraiser of the year,” Book said, noting that participants have been taking the plunge in the Jonesboro area for approximately 25 years.

SOAR’s mission is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Individual donations, private and corporate sponsorships, state appropriation, grants, and special fundraising events support the program.

“The law enforcement departments across the country are grassroots fundraisers for Special Olympics,” she said. “Departments help in many ways with different fundraisers from plunges, Tip A Hero events as wait staff at restaurants and getting tips for serving customers, fire truck and plane pulls, also at local Walmart stores at the boots and badges events asking for donations as customers enter and exit the store.”

As for local department participation, Book said members of the Jonesboro Fire Department and Jonesboro Police Department participated in the plunge in the past, however, most now help at the event with logistics and setup.

Participants must raise a minimum of $50 to jump in. Although there is no age limit, anyone under the age of 18 must have parental consent to sign the waiver release they have for the plunge.

Registration forms can be found on the Polar Plunge Registration page online or paper forms can be printed out and submitted if participants don’t want to register on the website. These forms are submitted at the plunge when the participants register.

The Jonesboro plunge is aiming to raise $12,000.

“Some individuals or teams add more excitement by coming up with costume ideas to plunge,” Book said. “This goes along with our awards; most money raised and best costume.”

Polar Plunge incentives also include:

  • $50 minimum donation (per plunger) will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt.
  • $250-$499 donation will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt, Plunge Towel and three raffle tickets.
  • $500-$749 donation will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt, Plunge Towel and seven raffle tickets.
  • $750-$999 donation will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt, Plunge Towel and 10 raffle tickets.
  • $1,000-$1,499 donation will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt, Plunge Towel and 15 raffle tickets.
  • $1,500+ donation will receive an official 2025 Polar Plunge T-shirt, Plunge Towel and 25 raffle tickets.

Each raffle ticket enters participants in a chance to win cash as each plunge across the state will have a $250 instant winner and all other raffle tickets are entered in a drawing for the end of Plunge season to win up to $1,500.

For more information on this or other plunges across Arkansas, visit the Polar Plunge – Special Olympics Arkansas website.