Local MPP challenges councillors to take the plunge

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Sue Dickens

EMC News -Campbellford - MPP Rob Milligan is going to take the plunge, the 20th annual Polar Bear Plunge that is happening this Saturday, January 28, at noon at Lions Park Beach, Campbellford.

To make the event even more exciting he is issuing a challenge to other officials to join him.

"I would encourage and challenge all local municipal councillors to take the plunge, it's across the board, I'm not targeting any one councillor," he said with a grin.

It will be another first for the newly elected MPP for Northumberland-Quinte.

"I tried last year to get on board to do it because I had some students who were doing it but there was a conflict of scheduling so I wasn't able to attend," he told EMC.

Milligan was teaching at the high school in Campbellford at that time. It was before his election as the MPP for this riding.

Milligan said he is always up for a challenge.

"When we were kids it was a challenge to see who was going to be the first one to jump in to the local swimming hole for the season," he said.

He hopes his challenge will get more participants for this year's fund raiser.

The Polar Bear Plunge is one of the main fund raisers for the Auxiliary to the Campbellford Memorial Hospital. The money is often used to buy much-needed equipment.

This year the money raised will be used to pay for a Complete Blood Count Analyzer for the lab at the hospital.

"When I received notice of the Polar Bear Plunge, and obviously it is a fantastic fund-raising event, my young assistant Grant Dingwall said I am going to do that, it sounds like fun, so I said well I want to do it too," explained Milligan.

When asked if he is doing anything to prepare for the dip into the icy waters of the Trent River he said, "I do work out, walking the woods by our home."

An experienced "dipper" who has issued a challenge this time around, is Tom Kerr, president of the Campbellford Business Improvement Area.

"I am throwing down the gauntlet," he told EMC.

"If you can convince Brian Redden, (president of the Trent Hills and District Chamber of Commerce) to take the plunge, then I will too," he said.

"I will go if he does but I think I am pretty safe," he added with a chuckle. This is coming from a man who has participated in the plunge in the past.

He talked about what it was like to take the plunge.

"Surprisingly enough it wasn't bad. The thing that gets you the most, all of a sudden you can't breathe so I'd take a bunch of deep breaths before I jumped in, then I stayed underwater quite a while because it was warmer than getting out," he added with a laugh.

Redden responded to the challenge.

"I don't remember anything in the job description requiring me to do this," he said grinning.

"I would probably never get back out," he added.

Redden used to video tape the event for Cable TV and told EMC, "I can remember watching those people who did it and got a video of their faces close up, of that painful look."

He said, "I think Tom is pretty safe this time around."

But it's not over until it's over so maybe there will be a change of heart and some surprise participants on Saturday. The organizers sure hope so.

For those who are brave enough to take a dip in the icy waters of the Trent there is still time to plunge, pledge or participate by contacting Bannister at 705-653-4248 or e-mailing < ronpat@sympatico.ca>.