Today, we will witness the second annual Polar Plunge in Support of the Special Olympics at the Lakeway Resort. The idea is to raise money for Special Olympics by committing to a freezing plunge in the pool. The highest individual amount was $3200. We are catered by Intero Restaurant of Austin. Our entertainment is Brad Paisley.
Menu
meat & fish
timballo, smoked wagyu brisket, cauliflower,
risotto, grilled quail, marinated apple, kale, hazelnut
wagyu beef sausage, beet panzanella, spring onion, feta
braised pork neck, carrot, fennel, mandarin, basil
grilled gulf redfish, mushroom, kohlrabi, burnt onion, whey brodo
Pizza from our wood-fired oven
arrabbiata, housemade mozzarella, Texas olive oil, oregano
grilled kale, calabrian chile, chevre, cilantro pesto
housemade ham, broccoli, gruyere, farm egg, green onion
Pasta
tortelloni, duck confit, chile butter,
roasted oyster mushrooms, cambozola, caramelized onion, rosemary
rigatoni, roasted rabbit, roasted turnip, brown butter, pecan
ricotta gnocchi, carrot, grilled calcot, romesco, dill
bucatini, broccoli, sottocenere al tartufo, burnt garlic, chive
mafaldine, house bolognese, rosemary, grana padano
Let’s go.
There is the banner telling us we are here.
Registration for participants.
Hot beverages
The ice-cold pool is where the plunge will take place. The air temp is 75 degrees (23.8 C), so the plunge could have been worse.
A group shot of all the wonderful people who raised money for the Special Olympics and who will be very wet shortly.
The three finalists for the costume competition. The seventies guy on the right won.
Tom Kilgore, the mayor of Lakeway, welcomes everyone.
The Special Olympic torch is carried in. Law enforcement, Fire departments, The FBI, Border Patrol, and other agencies play a unique role in Special Olympic fundraising. The torch is symbolic of their contribution.
The director of the event is first. She is the big splash. The officer pushed her in and followed suit.
The plunge was done by groups. (I caught them at the moment of truth.)
Hold your nose.
Walk on water. (For a split second)
More noses.
Another group, including the pink flamingo and Seventies guy
Two law enforcement officers.
Time to dry off and for us to relax with the food and music. I hope you have a super week.
Fiction Favorites 
Good reason to take the plunge! ❤
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Yes it is. Thanks, Annette.
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It’s a magnificent cause and you have taken care to bring us some outstanding photos of the plunge. Thank you.
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Thank you GP. It was fun seeing the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
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A worthy cause. Glad it wasn’t too cold out.
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Yeah, today we woke to 31 F (-0.5 C)
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A worthy cause, but it doesn’t seem exactly polar. Up here they sometimes cut a hole through the ice for these. (I’m not doing that one.)
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Well we are Texans so the water being 65 degrees is like chopping hole in the ice.
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😆
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Wow! To see people participating in such an event to contribute to a worthy cause is heartwarming.
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Yes it is, Tim. Thank you. 😁
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Great photos, John. Such a worthy cause.
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Yes it is. 😁
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Looks like a fun event for a very worthy cause. I’ve never seen a polar plunge into a swimming pool, just the ocean or a lake.
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Well, you know how it is these days. 😊 First world suffering.
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Heh, heh . . .
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😁
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Polar? Not so much, but a fine effort none the less. Now, if they’d floated a few chunks of ice in that pool, it would have been really impressive!
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I think the temp was about 65 degrees so it gave them a little shock. 😁
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A worthy cause for which to get chilled. I’d do it in a cold minute! 🙂 And my favorite Brad Paisley song!
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I really like Brad. My favorite is Celebrity
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Now, John; why didn’t you take the plunge? 🙂
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Too busy with photos. (you buy that?)
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No. Ha! I wouldn’t want to do it, myself.
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Ha ha ha
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HI John, 23 C outside temperature is not bad for something like this. My sons school used to do a polar plunge at 6am in the morning. The temperature was usually -2C
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Youth has its advantages.
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Yes, young boys don’t feel the cold
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Could never figure that out.
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These are always so much fun, and for a worthy cause. My area has a polar plunge that is held in January. Everyone runs into our local (Susquehanna) River. I don’t think I could handle an ice cold river in the middle of January, but maybe a Texas polar plunge, LOL.
I’m so glad there was a good turnout and lots of participants. It looks like a really fun event, John!
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We in Texas would not survive a jump into the Susquehanna. Thanks, Mae.
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🤗
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😁
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As far as polar plunges go, this one is relatively mild. Of course, I would still hold off on the pizza until I was out of the pool in order to avoid cramping. I mean, once everyone is OUT of the pool, I doubt they would be up for a return to it in order to save my ass, LOL
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What fun! I like that you could capture them in groups. I would have voted for the flamingo.
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A ery good reason to take the plunge. We have polar plunges up here, but it would take a lot of motivation for me to jump in.
Pizza and rigatoni if possible.
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Yeah me too and the water was 65 degrees. Too cold for an old guy.
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What a great job you did with those photos, John. I felt like I was there.
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I’m glad you liked them, Jacqui.
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Love the cause!
What a bunch of great nuts.
Fun shots and I’m feelin’ more than chilly.
🥶✖️ 🥶✖️ 🥶✖️ 🥶✖️
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Aw you need an otter to warm up
🦦X🦦X🦦X🦦X
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LOL!!!
I otter cry,
I otter laugh
I otter go
take a hot bath!
💋🦦X💋
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there you go. 🤗😘
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We have something similar in our community called “The Perilous Plunge.” It’s usually a fundraiser for the Dsicovery Museum, a children’s museum in town. The only difference is people jump into the murky bay.
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Sounds like a fun time. Thanks,
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75 degrees? Yeah, okay, we’ll call it a polar plunge 😉 How fun to generate money for the Special Olympics. Way to go all the participants. That menu is causing me some difficulty. So many things sound delish!
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They are delish I’m sure. One of the top restaurants in Austin.
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What great fun! Love the support of those folks for a great cause.
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Yes, it was great to see.
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Great cause! Reminds me of the year I volunteered to mentor for the Special Olympics. A cold plunge – eek!
Pass the tequila the food is about to get interesting!
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Here is the tequila. Help yourself to the food.
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Such a worthy cause! I sure wouldn’t mind the 75 degree weather.
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Of course the day made the pool seem cooler. Thanks, Teri.
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Polar Plunges are a fun way to raise money and what a great cause! Bravo!
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It was a fun time, Michele. Thank you
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A great cause, John – thanks for highlighting these folks!
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It is. Thanks, Barbara.
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When I saw Woody going in my brain was shouting, “Hold on to yer hat Woody!”
What fun and a great charity. Your images of the action timing was spot on, John!
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Thank you, Deborah. It was fun. 😊
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Wonderful idea, dear John! I believe that the ice pool is a real challenge. Thanks for the report!🥳🥳🥳🍤🍤🍤🍻
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My pleasure, Maria. 😁
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