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Students and faculty from Peotone High School took on the Polar Plunge March 21 at the school, hosting the fundraising event benefiting the Special Olympics for the first time in the school’s history.
Although Spring arrived the day before, event day brought 38-degree temperatures and blustery wind gusts up to 36 miles per hour, making for a decidedly polar-esque frigid dip for plungers supporting the cause.
Students and faculty gathered outside, awaiting their turn to plunge. Some were already shivering, and others embraced the cold.
“I’m ready!” Jack Klawitter, a senior at PHS, exclaimed, unafraid of the cold in shorts and a T-shirt. Jack inspired many people on Polar Plunge day to brave the cold and think warm thoughts for the plunge.
Sister Sophie Klawitter and her best friend Meghan O’Connor, juniors at Peotone High, had approached teacher Colleen Crabbe at a Unified Basketball game, a Special Olympics league, with the idea of doing a Polar Plunge at PHS.
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Sophie Klawitter and best friend Meghan O’Connor helped organize and emcee the plunge. Photo by Stephanie Irvine.
The families were seated next to each other as they know each other well, with Crabbe having taught Klawitter’s older brother, Jack, who has Down Syndrome.
Crabbe is in her eighth year teaching special education at PHS. She is heavily involved, teaching both academics and vocational skills. She established the Crabbe Cafe, which gives students the opportunity to learn about and take on the responsibility of planning, shopping, cooking, and serving food.
“We have a job coach who can help them with the skills so they can be employed and productive members of our community,” Crabbe explained.
With Crabbe on board, the group set a meeting with PHS Principal Angela Patrick and Athletic Director and Dean Steve Strough.
“We sat down with them, and we tried to outline as best as we could what we were thinking. I’m sure they were thinking we were crazy, bringing a pool to the school. We presented the information to them, followed up with SOIL, had meetings with them and all together, and got it approved,” Crabbe explained how they made the event happen.
“[Patrick] embraced it and really helped us get organized with staffing it and location. Basically, all the logistics,” Crabbe said of the first-year principal.
Crabbe added that Klawitter and O’Connor were instrumental in the event’s success.
“My family and I are very involved in Special Olympics. We heard about the Polar Plunge being done at schools, and I thought, ‘what a great opportunity to get our community involved for us to get our community involved,” Klawitter said.
“We just got it rolling from there. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been super fun,” Klawitter added.
Her best friend, Meghan O’Connor, has been right by her side through it all. O’Connor didn’t think twice about wanting to be involved in organizing the event.
Sophie Klawitter (left) and Meghan O’Connor offer gratitude and inspiring words to the group of Polar Plungers at PHS.Photo byStephanie Irvine.
The duo started the fundraising campaign, and teams and individual donation campaigns sprung up. Over 100 people participated in the event, from individuals to teams, including Best Buddies, FFA, Softball, Track and Field, Football, Baseball, Student Service Aids, PHS Staff, and students.
The crowd of plungers brace for the frigid waters as they wait their turn. Photo by Stephanie Irvine.
They even got the Manhattan Fire Protection District involved, who filled the pool with water. The local McDonald’s donated hot chocolate and cups to help warm up the frigid plungers — surely a welcome sight post-dip.
As of event day, Klawitter’s fundraising team, Best Buddies, had raised $13,025. Best Buddies Club, also sponsored by Crabbe, is a student club that promotes friendship and inclusivity between and among special education students and general education peers.
“I’m the behind-the-scenes facilitator,” Crabbe said of her role before offering high praise for Klawitter and Meghan O’Connor. “Those two girls have really taken off with it. They’re good girls, very organized, go-getters. I can’t say enough about both of them.”
“Sophie’s my best friend— her family is my family,” O’Connor said, explaining she’s been around Special Olympics and heavily involved in the cause.
Organizers originally set a modest goal of $3,000 — but they have surpassed it in spades, raising $26,800 as of event day, with donations still being accepted through the end of March.
“I’m extremely proud to be their principal, of the kids that set it up, and of our school,” Patrick said. She added that she had never worked at a school that had done a Polar Plunge on campus but was blown away by their initiative and fundraising capability.
“I just want people to know that this is a school where inclusivity matters, and you can see that from the amount of participants and donations they secured,” Crabbe said.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.
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