The Special Olympics of Northwest Pennsylvania marked a milestone with its 10th annual Polar Plunge at Presque Isle. The event brought hundreds of community members together for an amazing cause, or as the program calls it, "freezing for a reason." This year's event debuts its first frozen footrace (5k), with more than 1,000 runners braving the cold before joining the icy plunge into Lake Erie.

Participant, Eric Cushing said, "It's a tremendous community-building activity; what better way to come together than to be freezing for a reason. You get through it with each other, and you do it because the girl next to you is doing it, and the girl next to him is doing it. We support each other to get through it, and after you are done, you feel like a million bucks."

Director of the Northwest Region, Diane Sickles, shares that all proceeds will go back to local Special Olympic athletes. Diane Sickles said, "All of our athletes are able to participate free of charge to raise money, and it pays for the uniforms and the travel. We have Tom here, who had a team today that raised 2,500 for the Special Olympics."