The Virginia Knights of Columbus have raised more than $1 million for Special Olympics Virginia through polar plunging since 2013.
The statewide Special Olympics Virginia Polar Plunge Festival was held in Virginia Beach Feb. 3.
Donations raised cover entry fees, accommodations and other necessities to allow athletes to attend competitions and showcase their abilities. The Knights estimate these expenditures total $168,000 every year.
Peter Kehoe, member of the Knights’ Arlington council, spoke of the Special Olympics’ impact on his daughter.
“Once Laurie Ann graduated from school, Special Olympics has been a major source of pride and socialization,” Kehoe said. “She makes new friends, feels good about herself, and gets to new places beyond her group home and day program.”
John White, who coordinates the Knights’ fundraising effort, credited much of its success to seven high school juniors: Kate Floom, Bella Menn, Sophia O’Connell, Francesca Pereira, Libby Smith, Alexandra Wilson and Allison White, who personally raised $13,516, finishing in second place overall statewide. Over eight years of plunging, the girls raised $169,650 of the Knights’ $1 million total.
