President’s Corner: February & March
Thank You to Everyone Who Made the 2026 MSP Polar Bear Plunge Presented By Allegis Group a Success
51 Days from Build-Out to Breakdown. 8 Plunges in 6 Days over Two Weeks. A Year-Round Endeavor.
Preparation for the 2026 Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge began on January 8, as teams started transforming Sandy Point State Park in anticipation of one of Maryland’s most iconic winter traditions. By the week of the event, everything looked ready. Then winter arrived with full force—bringing snow, ice, and uncertainty that would test every plan we had made. What followed, from those early preparation days through the final beach grooming on February 27, became one of the most challenging—and inspiring—Plunges in our history. (NOTE: See Epilogue at the end of this article for chronological sequence of photos and videos, documenting the 2026 Plunge set-up, execution, and breakdown).
January 5th– Plunge Set Up Begins
In early January, preparations were well underway. On January 8, temperatures were unusually mild,
reaching the mid-to-upper 50s. Setup had begun on January 5, and by January 19th the beach looked ready for the arrival of our dedicated Super Plungers. Construction of the Rams Head Ice Lodge was underway, tents were going up, and excitement for Plunge week was building.
Week of January 19th Final Preparation for Plunge Week Starting with Super Plunge
Behind the scenes, planning and coordination were constant. We met with partners such as Allegis Group to adjust their corporate plunge schedule and held preliminary discussions with St. Elizabeth School about their Cool Schools Plunge with Roland Park School. On January 22, we conducted an important site visit to assess snow-removal capabilities in preparation for the winter storm that was predicted to arrive on Sunday. Raffaele Mannerelli from Conceptual Building made a commitment to clear the roadways and parking lots and help us secure salt if needed, support that would soon prove invaluable.
Plunge week officially kicked off with the Super Plunge on January 23–24. While the first day brought temperatures in the 40s, the forecast warned that conditions would soon change. Overnight temperatures dropped into the 20s, creating brutal conditions for our Super Plungers. True to their reputation, those 57 Super Plungers persevered and finished strong at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and they raised an incredible $588,198.49 in the process. I am proud of the 13 SOMD athletes who formed Unified Super Plunge teams with a fellow Super Plunger.
January 25th -The Storm Arrives – January 26th We Commit to Make the Park Accessible and Safe to Plunge and Finalize our Decision…We Will Plunge as Scheduled
Beginning January 25, snow and ice dramatically changed conditions at Sandy Point State Park. We deployed some SOMD staff to monitor conditions and periodically clear snow from key access points leading to the beach. However, the storm was severe, and the accumulating snow and ice quickly overwhelmed those efforts. At the same time the snow removal of the roadway and parking lots commenced as planned, which turned out to be critical. HoweOn January 26, we conducted a full assessment of Sandy Point State Park and convened a meeting with key partners—including the Maryland State Police, dive teams, MDTA, SHA, Anne Arundel County Fire Department, Johns Hopkins medical staff, Special Olympics Maryland staff, and critical volunteers—to determine our options.
Several scenarios were considered, including postponing events to the following week. However, the logistical challenges for our public safety partners—combined with the commitments already made by thousands of plungers—made rescheduling extremely difficult. Ultimately, we decided to move forward with the event as planned, provided we could ensure safe conditions.
What followed was an extraordinary collaborative effort.
Raffaele used his network to recruit a snow removal team that worked tirelessly to clear roads, parking lots, and pathways to the beach. By January 28, four of the seven parking lots had been cleared, with additional work continuing. Teams cleared the boardwalk and plaza areas, while the snow removal team developed a creative solution to break up snow and ice on the beach to make it accessible and safe (see videos accessible from list below).
At the same time, we monitored conditions in the Chesapeake Bay, carefully looking for ice that could pose risks to plungers. Safety teams, including divers and emergency personnel, developed multiple contingency options ranging from a full plunge to modified thigh-high or ankle-deep plunges depending on conditions.
Because of anticipated school closures, we rescheduled the Cool Schools Plunges to February 4 and 5. However, after careful evaluation and collaboration with our partners, we confirmed that the Police & Public Safety Plunge, Corporate Plunge, and the Maryland Plunge would proceed as scheduled. Weather and safety conditions were evaluated constantly in partnership with Anne Arundel County Fire Department Chief Dave Chen, Maryland State Police’s Mark Klinger, and Justin Updegraff, also from MSP, representing our dive teams.
January 29th – We Are Ready to Plunge on Friday and Saturday
On Thursday, January 29, we met at the plunge zone to simulate and assess conditions in preparation for Friday’s events. We met again early Friday morning, and by 7:00 a.m. we made the public announcement: the Plunge was a go.
Our goal was clear: keep plungers safe while preserving the spirit and energy that makes the Polar Bear Plunge so special. Plans were developed to manage plunger flow, limit time in the water, and ensure that medical and dive teams could support every participant.
We repeated the same process on Saturday morning and once again confirmed safe conditions. Governor Wes Moore joined us at the 11:00 am Family Plunge. After being welcomed by Special Olympics Maryland athlete ambassadors, he joined Annu Singleton and Bailey Mewhinney in leading the plungers into Chesapeake Bay. Every decision throughout the week centered on one objective: delivering the safest possible Plunge experience for participants, volunteers, and spectators.
Following the plunges on January 30 and 31, we worked closely with Anne Arundel County Public Schools to determine when students would return to normal schedules. Our plan was to host non-Anne Arundel County schools on Wednesday and Anne Arundel County schools on Thursday—provided schools had resumed full schedules without delayed openings.
February 4th – We Are Ready for Cool Schools Plunge
Fortunately, Wednesday marked the first full day back for AACPS, allowing us to proceed with Day 1 of the Cool Schools Plunge. Schools from across Maryland joined us for plunges at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 1:00 p.m. We repeated that schedule on Thursday for Anne Arundel County schools. AACPS Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell joined us to support the students and reaffirm his commitment to our partnership through Unified Sports, whole-school engagement, and inclusive youth leadership—programs that represent the very best in building welcoming and inclusive school cultures.
Over the two days, 9,650 students plunged and collectively raised $918,852.
Our media partner WBAL-TV 11 played a valuable throughout, providing Plunge status updates throughout the week and then broadcasting live from the Police & Public Safety Plunge on Friday. The team returned on Saturday for live segments and a WBAL-TV 11 team plunge that honored the legendary Rob Robelin who passed away last year and who for so long was a champion for the Plunge and Special Olympics Maryland athletes. They also covered both days of the Cool Schools Plunge with live noon broadcasts.
We were also pleased to host the Allegis Group Plunge on Tuesday, February 3, continuing a valued partnership with one of our most committed corporate supporters and the Presenting sponsor of the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge.
Thank you to my Special Olympics Maryland staff for an incredible team effort. Thank you to the Maryland State Police and the entire law enforcement community for your incredible support. Thank you to Sandy Point State Park, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Natural Resources Police (NRP), Maryland Park Service, Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and State Highway Administration (SHA), and Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) for all the infrastructure and operational support. Thank you to Anne Arundel County Fire Department and the Johns Hopkins medical team that provided critical medical support. Thank you to Select Event Group for setting up and managing the infrastructure notably our tent structures along with power and heat. Thank you, Conceptual Building and William Harrison & Sons, along with everyone they recruited to remove all the snow to make the park and beach accessible and the Plunge possible. Thank you Allegis Group for being our presenting sponsor and providing valuable volunteer support. Thank you Graul’s Market, for providing high quality food and service in Graul’s Hospitality Tent at all plunges. Thank you Ram’s Head for your support in delivering a quality experience at the Ram’s Head Ice lodge. Thank you WBAL-TV 11, 98Rock and WBAL 1090AM/101.5FM. Thank you to all our corporate partners for your commitment. Thank you to all the volunteers who made all the plunges possible. And thank you to everyone who Plunged – Cool Schools, Police and Public Safety, Corporate and Maryland Plungers – and all the donors who supported these Plungers.
When the weather tested us, the Special Olympics Maryland community and thousands of Marylanders responded the way it always does—with determination, collaboration, and heart. In total our plungers raised $3,469,052 and combined with sponsorship and other revenue we are currently at $4,178,799 with some additional sponsorship funds still to come which will put us over $4.3m. Thank you Maryland, for rising to challenge to support SOMD athletes and Unified teammates.
Finally, just to reinforce the impact and connection of the Plunge to the mission of Special Olympics Maryland and show that there is no off season, everyone should take pride and share in the joy the of the immediate impact. Check out the Winter Sports Wrap article along with stories on athlete leadership and inclusive health in this issue to learn about the immediate impact of the funds raised by the plunge.
The 2026 Polar Bear Plunge ultimately became a powerful example of resilience, teamwork, and the unwavering commitment of Maryland. From state and local agencies to volunteers, staff, and thousands of plungers, everyone came together to overcome difficult conditions and deliver an unforgettable event. I especially want to recognize our Special Olympics Maryland staff for their incredible efforts and teamwork and for their daily commitment to SOMD athletes and Unified teammates. Our athletes are fond of saying “You Plunge, I Play!” and because of the incredible effort to pull off the Plunge SOMD athletes and unified teammates are PLAYING the sports they love! THANK YOU! (And here two Thank You messages – my Thank You message and WBAL TV Thank You message)
Winter Sports Wrap, There Is No Off Season
While Special Olympics Maryland supporters were plunging and dunking for our athletes and Unified teammates, the impact of their efforts was demonstrated by thousands of athletes of all ability levels along with Unified teammates in a range of sports at venues ranging from the Worcester County Rec Center in South Hill to WISP Resort in Garrett County. Everyone should take pride and share in the joy the of the immediate impact.
Check out the recaps of our winter season, starting with our Interscholastic Unified Sports state tournaments and culminating with our state Basketball tournament.
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