POLAR PLUNGE

CLARK LAKE, MI – Jump into frigid Clark Lake to help raise funds for Special Olympics Michigan. The annual Michigan Law Enforcement Polar Plunge is set for Saturday, Jan. 28, outside the Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, 1200 Eagle Point Road. Related: See jumpers take the Polar Plunge in frigid waters of Clark LakeRegistration for the event is free and can be done here. Check in begins at 12:30 p.m. with a “Pre-Plunge Party.” The actual plunge starts at 2 p.m., with awards afterward. More information is available on the Polar Plunge website.

After a day where we kept plenty of cloud cover around, cold temperatures, and light snow or snow flurries, we will continue this trend through the overnight hours tonight and into the end of the weekend.

MUSKEGON, MI-- Hundreds of people got a taste of the icy waters of Muskegon Lake during a Polar Plunge on Saturday, March 19. The event returned this year after being canceled the past few years due to COVID. The plunge helped raise funds for the Special Olympics. Organizers estimate 300 people participated in the Polar Plunge, raising around $1.4 million. 65 Muskegon's Polar PlungeAlso on MLive:Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Muskegon’s 18th Amendment Spirits Co. has ‘thoughtful cocktails, savory pizza’Divers shrug off frigid temperature for Polar Plunge in support of Special Olympics MichiganMuskegon Sen. Jon Bumstead announces bid for re-election to new Senate district

KENT COUNTY, MI - Divers defied frigid temperatures to participate in a Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Michigan on Saturday at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park, a suburb of Grand Rapids. All funds raised by plungers help Special Olympics Michigan to provide year-round training and services athletes across the state with intellectual disabilities, according to the website. The Grand Rapids Polar Plunge event is one of many annual events organized by volunteers with the Law Enforcement Torch Run. The plungers, who raised more than $100 for the event, were given an official Polar Plunge sweatshirt. 40 Divers take on cold for Grand Rapids Polar Plunge to support Special Olympics MichiganMore on MLive:10 people displaced in Holland apartment fireWest Michigan firefighters rescue German shepherd at house fire, provide oxygenMichigan’s Best Local Eats: Social House in Grand Rapids offers delicious food, cocktails

KALAMAZOO, MI-- Kalamazoo’s Polar Plunge came back after a year off in a new location, Bittersweet Ski Resort. Participants could donate to Special Olympics Michigan to take a dip in the freezing waters at the base of the slopes. Jared Birman of Kalamazoo enjoys the water while waiting for the pool to fill up for the Kalamazoo Polar Plunge at Bittersweet Ski Resort on Sunday, February 13, 2022. (Gabi Broekema | MLive.com)Gabi Broekema | MLive.comA jumper for the Kalamazoo Polar Plunge poses as she jumps into the water at Bittersweet Ski Resort on Sunday, February 13, 2022. (Gabi Broekema | MLive.com)Gabi Broekema | MLive.comJumpers for the Kalamazoo Polar Plunge jump into the cold waters at Bittersweet Ski Resort on Sunday, February 13, 2022.

In 2022, Special Olympics will sponsor in-person and virtual plunges, with the goal of raising more than $1 million dollars.

CLARK LAKE, MI – People can once again jump into a freezing Clark Lake in January to raise funds for Special Olympics Michigan. Related: Polar Plunge jumpers brave frigid temperatures at Clark Lake“It’s a lot of fun and it’s a once in a lifetime experience,” Coordinator Lacey Duncan said. Those watching can expect to see participants dressed in costumes or uniforms to jump into Clark Lake, Duncan said. Registration to plunge is free and can be done through the Polar Plunge website. The Polar Plunge took a break in 2020 due to COVID-19, opting for a virtual plunge in replacement.

KENT COUNTY, MI - Ryan Musch’s first Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Michigan experience veered from tradition on Sunday. Local architect and construction firms teamed up with Special Olympics Michigan and Gaines and Byron Township public safety professionals to raise money to support the nonprofit’s athletes. Besides Fishbeck, there were employees from Mathison| Mathison Architects, Honor Construction, Cutlerville Fire Department, Dutton Fire Department, Byron Township Fire Department, and the Kent County Sheriff’s Department. So far, Special Olympics Michigan has raised $625,400, surpassing their original goal of $500,000, officials say. For more information, visit the Special Olympics Michigan website here.

The annual Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Michigan serves as a fundraising event that contributes to the “year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than 23,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in Michigan,” according to the organization’s website. So far, Special Olympics Michigan has raised $625,400, surpassing their original goal of $500,000. For Ryan Musch, an engineer and design team member with Fishbeck helping with renovations for the Special Olympics Michigan building, this was his first-ever Polar Plunge. “Special Olympics, they do great things for athletes of Michigan, they’ve got a great movement here in Michigan. For more information, visit the Special Olympics Michigan website here.

Each year a Polar Plunge takes place at the winter blast to raise money for Special Olympics Michigan -- this year the polar plunge will be virtual. Anna Blakeslee is an events coordinator for Special Olympics Michigan. “Everyone just gets to be a little bit more creative in how they take the plunge this year,” Blakeslee said. Anyone can register online to do the polar plunge at home. How to register:Click here to register for the virtual polar plunge, 5K, or fun runUse the code LOCAL4 to get $5 off registration for the 5KThe virtual event is designed to raise awareness for Special Olympics Michigan.

click to enlarge Eighteen PhotographyWinter might be a pain in our Vitamin-D deprived asses, but it can also be a total blast at least for one weekend in February when Winter Blast rolls through town.For 15 years, some version of Winter Blast has done its best to scare away the seasonal doldrums. This year, however, its enduring a few more changes. Event mainstays like the Winter Slide, zip lines, and free ice skating at the rink at Campus Martius will be available, too. There will also be skiing and snowboarding demonstrations by Mt. Brighton ski resort, as well as the return of the Polar Plunge, which raises money for the Special Olympics.

We still have overcast skies, and temperatures remain relatively high. Sunday evening will be cloudy and cool. Temperatures remain in the mid 40s. Sunday night remains much warmer than average under overcast skies. Each night time and early morning low will be in the teens with wind chills in the single digits.

Courtesy of Winter BlastDetroit's annual Winter Blast, now in its 15th year, is back but with some changes.This year, the fest returns as a one-weekend event. Last year, Winter Blast ballooned to four weekends , and also dropped its previous $3 ticket fee. This year's festival remains free, however.2020's Winter Blast (officially billed as The Quicken Loans Winter Blast Weekend presented by Soaring Eagle... "We want to continue this momentum and are excited to return Winter Blast to its original and wildly popular one-weekend format. "Winter Blast festivities like ice sculptures, marshmallow roasting, food trucks, and live music will return, as will mainstays like the Winter Slide, zip lines, and free ice skating at the rink at Campus Martius.