Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 1/14/2020
WESTFIELD – For the 16th year, local residents will be suiting up in costumes before taking the plunge into the freezing waters at Hampton Ponds in an effort to raise money for Amelia Park Children’s Museum.
Ray Radigan, Amelia Park Children’s Museum’s director, explained that interested plungers have to sign up and raise money ahead of the event before being able to take the plunge. Once they’ve raised the money, no matter how far they go into the water, they are considered a plunger.
“Everyone who signs up in advance get a chance to run and jump into the water, and some people will go in just up to their ankles and some people will go in over their heads. Regardless of how far out you go, you’re a plunger in our books,” he said.
In addition to the plunge itself, Radigan said there will be several other attractions for the day. He said, “We’ll have music, the fire department donates some darn good chili and we also will have some other hot beverages and snacks as well.”
The Museum will also give out several awards to the participants, including awards for best individual costume, best team costume and to the individual who raised the most money.
Radigan said that the size of the plunge has stayed the same over the course of the past several years, with about 100 plungers diving into Hampton Ponds, but they have a different theme each year. He added that this year’s theme is Sweet 16 because it is the 16th annual plunge.
Even if residents aren’t interested in participating in the plunge, Radigan said they are more than welcome to come to the event. “We encourage people to, if they’re brave enough, sign up and become plungers. But if they’re more timid like yours truly, they are more than welcome to come cheer the plungers on,” he said.
One of the ways the museum teams up with the community for the event is that every year the Westfield Fire Department opens up a horseshoe in the ice at Hampton Ponds for plungers to swim through.
Radigan said that he is happy with the support the Plunge receives from local businesses each year. “A lot of business throughout Westfield and beyond step up to be involved and become sponsors of the plunge,” he said. “A lot of them do it every year and we are extremely grateful for their support.”
He added that he is happy with the way the event has grown into a part of the city. He stated, “It’s very much become a city event. I’ll run into people and tell them I’m from the Children’s Museum and it doesn’t seem to register until I say we’re the plunge people and they’ll say they know all about that. It seems to have almost taken on a life of its own in the city.”