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COURIER LIFE, APRIL 22-28, 2022
BY JESSICA PARKS
Eight Coney Islandbased
organizations have
been named to receive part
of the $25,000 raised at the
2022 Coney Island Polar
Bear Plunge, which sent
hundreds of New Yorkers
into the freezing Atlantic
Ocean on New Year’s Day.
“The Coney Island Polar
Bear Club is once again
excited to offer fi nancial
support to non-profi t organizations
within the Coney
Island Community,”
said Dennis Thomas, president
of the Coney Island
Polar Bear Club, in a statement.
“As we acknowledge
the great work happening
among them and the benefi
ts they bring to the community.
Hundreds of daring
swimmers took the icy dip
in costumes, bathing suits
and other non-winter attire
for the 119th year of
the event— after raising
thousands of dollars from
sponsors supporting each
participant’s run into the
icy waves. This year’s
plunge was the fi rst in two
years, after the pandemic
forced organizers to cancel
the 2021 event. While COVID
precautions meant the
swim looked a little different
than it has in the past
— taking place over a number
of hours rather than all
at once — enthusiasm for
the event and its charitable
goals was as high as ever.
“We appreciate the generosity
of all the attendees
of our traditional annual
New Year’s Day Plunge,”
Thomas said. “Not only
did they participate in a
life-changing, challenging
winter dip, but their donations
help support and revitalize
Coney Island.”
The organizations are
selected to receive funding
because they bring a
positive impact to the surrounding
Coney Island
community and include:
• The New York Aquarium,
which will support
a number of local marine
conservation projects.
• Coney Island YMCA
will use their funds to enroll
children in the community
into their summer
camp. ‘
• Coney Island USA will
use the donation to continue
to enliven Coney Island’s
weird art history
• Coney Island History
Project will receive a donation
that will support their
historical documentarymaking
and archives they
continue to produce.
• Coney Island Brighton
Beach Open Water Swimmers,
a peninsular Brooklyn
based organization
that hosts races and swims
on the open water off of Coney
Island Beach.
• Parachute Literary
Arts hosts readings in historic
spots in the neighborhood.
• New York State Marine
Education Association
strives to raise marine
awareness
• City Parks Foundation
offers varied programming
in greenspaces
throughout the fi ve boroughs.
The Alliance for Coney
Island worked in partnership
with the Coney Island
Polar Bear Club to help
channel the money raised
to local organizations.
“We are ecstatic to partner
with the Coney Island
Polar Bear Club to be the
fundraising partner for
the New Year’s Day Polar
The Coney Island Polar Bear Club has been hosting the annual
plunge for more than 100 years, raising money for local organizations.
File photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Plunge,” said Alexandra Silversmith,
executive director
of the Alliance for Coney
Island. “Through this collaboration
and being able to
raise and regrant funds to
our neighboring nonprofi ts
to bring resources and support
their work. We look forward
to sending out these
funds and seeing the support
helping to fund these
programs and activities for
the youth.”
Thomas added that you
can expect the Polar Bear
Plunge will be back next
year for its 120th rendition.
“We look forward to
continuing the tradition
in 2023 and hope all our attendees
return and encourage
their friends and family
to participate in this
awesome New York tradition,”
Thomas said.
Plunging forward!
Coney Island orgs to receive funds from Polar Bear Plunge
If you’ve fallen behind on water
or sewer bills, apply for the Low Income
Water Assistance Program.
otda.ny.gov/LIHWAP
/LIHWAP