I love the Plunge. I love everything about it. As a part of the management team, I love the frenetic pace around our office leading up to the event, the crazy phone call questions (whether or not it is “legal” to cover oneself in Vaseline is a popular one), the long hours and countdown to Plunge day, and the moments of levity that keep us sane and smiling along the way.
I am filled with pride every time I see a man at a Graul’s Market or a woman at the mall wearing a Plunge sweatshirt. I almost drove off the road the first time I saw another car on the road with a PBP sticker, I was so excited. And I still smile and honk every time I see one.
As a member of the Super Plunge team, I also love the nervous anticipation I still get right before the big moment – actually, all 24 of them! I love the camaraderie amongst the participants, and the outpouring of emotion that inevitably occurs as we near the 24th and final Plunge.
But most of all, I love the stories that we hear and those amazing moments of humor and humanity that we witness along the way. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that this silly event impacts everyone that participates, in ways both large and small. It has become a way to connect to others, and a reminder that there’s always room in life for a little fun. In my 13 years, I have been moved to both laughter and tears countless times by countless people and I want to begin sharing those stories with you.
Rick “Schniedwind” – Super Plunger At Last!
There is a young man who Plunges who has received a great deal of attention over the last 2 years for selling his body in order to raise money for the Plunge. No, it’s not what you think! Rick morphs into a human billboard, selling the right to “advertise” on certain parts of his body on Plunge day. Well, in the “small world” category it turns out that my wife used to coach his sister’s youth lacrosse team, and he is also my neighbor. So several months ago, we receive a phone call at home from his mother who wants to know if we will adopt Rick. What?! She noticed on the website that family members were teaming up to take part in the Super Plunge and said all he had talked about since January was his desire to do the 24-hour event. So would I adopt Rick so he could participate? She did promise that she would continue to clothe and feed the young lad, and even offered to do some volunteer work herself. What could I say? Say hello to Rick “Schniedwind”, Super Plunger at last!
Fio’s Plunge
Another young man did experience the Super Plunge in January, and under some pretty tough circumstances. Nick sadly lost his father to esophageal cancer in May of 2007 (visit http://www.fiofoundation.org/ for more information). His dad was Michael Fiorelli, former SOMD Board Member and a man beloved by many – including me. Mike was a veteran Plunger, and was instrumental in introducing us to the Ravens organization. The initials “MAF” were embroidered on the Super Plunge uniform in his memory. It therefore seemed fitting to invite young Nick to be a part of the event, allowing us to both get to know him and to celebrate his dad’s life. We didn’t quite know what to expect upon Nick and his mom Tina’s arrival, and we told Nick all along that he could Plunge if he wanted and that he certainly did not have to undertake all 24. Well if we questioned how he would react to the whole experience at the beginning, there was no doubt by the end. Nick had a blast! He Plunged all 24 times, barely slept, and just generally enjoyed being a kid again for 24 hours. For many of us who had the privilege of knowing Mike, one of the highlights of the event was the brief dedication we did to him that evening. For every Plunge after that, every Super Plunger touched a hat on the way out to the water – a symbolic gesture that made us all think of Mike and a small way of keeping his spirit alive.
For me, the best part of the 2008 Super Plunge was seeing Nick’s smile. For Nick, I’d like to think that it was getting to be a part of his dad’s world, even when his dad was no longer in it.
The Dancing Penguins
There are some groups that the cameras love and the Dancing Penguins certainly fit that bill. I have never met anyone from this group personally, but somehow every photographer catches them, and I have always admired their fun-loving spirit. Well this year we finally got a little insight into this costumed group and it turns out it was the determination of one 11-year-old that got the whole ball rolling. After watching the Plunge, she announced to her mom that they ought to start a team themselves so they could help. Well, start a team she did! Five years later, the now-16-year-old Plunger is leading a team of more than 20 members. As part of their fundraising tactics, they take full advantage of Halloween. Sporting their Plunge penguin gear, they displayed photos from the 2008 event and passed out flyers asking for support.
Are the Dancing Penguins all that unique in what they are doing and how they do it? Probably not. But they ARE a great example of how one person really can make a difference. Because one 11-year-old girl took the initiative, an entire group of people have embraced the energy and excitement of the event and made it their own. And because they own a little piece of the fun, there are also making life a little happier for some Special Olympics Maryland athletes out there. (check them out at http://somd.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=280324&lis=1&kntae280324=FE16AF6F1D9A4E679CDA5957BB025E7C&team=3197551)
Perhaps the most touching part of this whole story is that I know all of this because of an email we got on the team, signed “One Proud Mom.”
As you may have guessed – this event is more than an event to me and to everyone here at Special Olympics Maryland. For every story we post there are a dozen more just like it that we know about and probably 10x more that we don’t. The people who Plunge and the stories they share have become the fabric of the event – creating a crazy colorful quilt that I wouldn’t trade for all the world.
So do you have a story to share? Email us at plunge@somd.org! Visit our website at http://www.plungemd.com/.
Until next time…
Tom
I am filled with pride every time I see a man at a Graul’s Market or a woman at the mall wearing a Plunge sweatshirt. I almost drove off the road the first time I saw another car on the road with a PBP sticker, I was so excited. And I still smile and honk every time I see one.
As a member of the Super Plunge team, I also love the nervous anticipation I still get right before the big moment – actually, all 24 of them! I love the camaraderie amongst the participants, and the outpouring of emotion that inevitably occurs as we near the 24th and final Plunge.
But most of all, I love the stories that we hear and those amazing moments of humor and humanity that we witness along the way. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that this silly event impacts everyone that participates, in ways both large and small. It has become a way to connect to others, and a reminder that there’s always room in life for a little fun. In my 13 years, I have been moved to both laughter and tears countless times by countless people and I want to begin sharing those stories with you.
Rick “Schniedwind” – Super Plunger At Last!
There is a young man who Plunges who has received a great deal of attention over the last 2 years for selling his body in order to raise money for the Plunge. No, it’s not what you think! Rick morphs into a human billboard, selling the right to “advertise” on certain parts of his body on Plunge day. Well, in the “small world” category it turns out that my wife used to coach his sister’s youth lacrosse team, and he is also my neighbor. So several months ago, we receive a phone call at home from his mother who wants to know if we will adopt Rick. What?! She noticed on the website that family members were teaming up to take part in the Super Plunge and said all he had talked about since January was his desire to do the 24-hour event. So would I adopt Rick so he could participate? She did promise that she would continue to clothe and feed the young lad, and even offered to do some volunteer work herself. What could I say? Say hello to Rick “Schniedwind”, Super Plunger at last!
Fio’s Plunge
Another young man did experience the Super Plunge in January, and under some pretty tough circumstances. Nick sadly lost his father to esophageal cancer in May of 2007 (visit http://www.fiofoundation.org/ for more information). His dad was Michael Fiorelli, former SOMD Board Member and a man beloved by many – including me. Mike was a veteran Plunger, and was instrumental in introducing us to the Ravens organization. The initials “MAF” were embroidered on the Super Plunge uniform in his memory. It therefore seemed fitting to invite young Nick to be a part of the event, allowing us to both get to know him and to celebrate his dad’s life. We didn’t quite know what to expect upon Nick and his mom Tina’s arrival, and we told Nick all along that he could Plunge if he wanted and that he certainly did not have to undertake all 24. Well if we questioned how he would react to the whole experience at the beginning, there was no doubt by the end. Nick had a blast! He Plunged all 24 times, barely slept, and just generally enjoyed being a kid again for 24 hours. For many of us who had the privilege of knowing Mike, one of the highlights of the event was the brief dedication we did to him that evening. For every Plunge after that, every Super Plunger touched a hat on the way out to the water – a symbolic gesture that made us all think of Mike and a small way of keeping his spirit alive.
For me, the best part of the 2008 Super Plunge was seeing Nick’s smile. For Nick, I’d like to think that it was getting to be a part of his dad’s world, even when his dad was no longer in it.
The Dancing Penguins
There are some groups that the cameras love and the Dancing Penguins certainly fit that bill. I have never met anyone from this group personally, but somehow every photographer catches them, and I have always admired their fun-loving spirit. Well this year we finally got a little insight into this costumed group and it turns out it was the determination of one 11-year-old that got the whole ball rolling. After watching the Plunge, she announced to her mom that they ought to start a team themselves so they could help. Well, start a team she did! Five years later, the now-16-year-old Plunger is leading a team of more than 20 members. As part of their fundraising tactics, they take full advantage of Halloween. Sporting their Plunge penguin gear, they displayed photos from the 2008 event and passed out flyers asking for support.
Are the Dancing Penguins all that unique in what they are doing and how they do it? Probably not. But they ARE a great example of how one person really can make a difference. Because one 11-year-old girl took the initiative, an entire group of people have embraced the energy and excitement of the event and made it their own. And because they own a little piece of the fun, there are also making life a little happier for some Special Olympics Maryland athletes out there. (check them out at http://somd.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=280324&lis=1&kntae280324=FE16AF6F1D9A4E679CDA5957BB025E7C&team=3197551)
Perhaps the most touching part of this whole story is that I know all of this because of an email we got on the team, signed “One Proud Mom.”
As you may have guessed – this event is more than an event to me and to everyone here at Special Olympics Maryland. For every story we post there are a dozen more just like it that we know about and probably 10x more that we don’t. The people who Plunge and the stories they share have become the fabric of the event – creating a crazy colorful quilt that I wouldn’t trade for all the world.
So do you have a story to share? Email us at plunge@somd.org! Visit our website at http://www.plungemd.com/.
Until next time…
Tom
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