The Heart of Ramapo 2

“A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand.” e.e.cummings

click to enlarge

The wind had blown away the rain and the leaves prior to the 1st Annual Thanks “4” Giving Turkey Plunge sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run, a volunteer effort by the Law Enforcement community of New Jersey to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics New Jersey – but the wind remained.

The sun shined bright on this near perfect autumn day, but the wind that had brought down tree limbs around the region still lingered as the volunteer plungers stripped down to take a dive in Oakland’s Crystal Lake. There were over sixty plungers in this first annual event, and it was also the first of the polar plunge season in New Jersey with future events planned for Seaside Heights and Wildwood on the Jersey shore.

While the shore offers an ocean blast, New Jersey is more than just a coast line. The heart of the Ramapo Valley provided a picture perfect opportunity for volunteers and supporters to help raise funds for the Special Olympics. The first International Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago in 1968. Anne McGlone Burke, a phys ed teacher in Chicago, organized a one-time Olympic-style athletic competition for people with special needs; but the recently deceased Eunice Kennedy Shriver  is credited with using the Kennedy clan resources to expand the Special Olympics into a world wide effort.

click to enlarge

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey has been recognized in the world for many years as one of the top grassroots fundraising organizations for Special Olympics raising millions of dollars. The Thanks “4” Giving Turkey Plunge was the first for Northern New Jersey and offered an opportunity for many new volunteers to take part. The event brought in law enforcement from around the area, and Oakland’s volunteer First Aid Squad and Fire Department were on hand should any emergency situations arise – their presence also added to the festive air as the emergency vehicles lined the streets.

The athletes, volunteers, coaches and fundraisers who make the Special Olympics so special deserve praise for bringing dreams into reality. The Special Olympics allow athletes to compete in areas of sport they enjoy and excel in, and on a wider scale they help to battle prejudice and ignorance in the broader community. Immediately after the plunge, volunteers and supporters followed-up the event with a well deserved post-plunge bash at the nearby New York Steakhouse & Pub.

Chief Leo McGuire

Councilman Pignatelli & Chief Kasper

Turkey Plunge Start