New Year, same old plunge in Lake George
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LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- It's a new year and maybe it's a new you. But up at Lake George it’s their same old annual event. Lake George's Annual Polar Plunge, First Day tradition has been around since 1973. Its where hundreds of revelers hit the beach to brave the frigid waters.
“It felt great! I'm feeling refreshed,” said one of the first people to jump into the lake.
“This guy is on his 30th plunge,” reported NEWS10’s Reporter, James De La Fuente.
“30th year! And it gets better every year,” responded Jack Birch.
Others make the dip into the chilly waters because it was the right thing to do. “My mom made me do this polar plunge” said one man who braved the waters. “We are celebrating Ms. Cathy’s 50th Birthday!” exclaimed a group of revelers who were from Clifton Park.
While others simply enjoyed the fun. “It’s like eating a peppermint patty. It takes your breath away,” said one man from Amsterdam who was dressed as the Joker.
And some do it every year. “It raises money, and it goes directly to the Springfield Hospital for children. The Shriners are all about children,” said Zach Bolton with the Oriental Shriners.
This year’s plunge brought out Casey Frankoski's family. She's one of the New York National Guard pilots that died in a helicopter crash on the U.S. Mexico border last year. “Casey always wanted us to do it. We always told her no. So here we are,” explained Casey’s father, Jim Frankoski.
Her mother, Jill Frankoski, said, “We're going to do it every year for her, now.”
Senator Jake Ashby will help the family on Sunday to memorialize their daughter’s name. “These military people make a sacrifice. You never expect it to be their life. Casey’s was her life. So, Jake has been a phenomenal advocate. He’s a military vet himself and the Washington Avenue Bridge, around the corner from her she lived, is going to be named after her,” said Jim.
But before they could leave to get warm, NEWS10’s Reporter James De La Fuente had to ask them the tough question, “How was the plunge?”
“It really was not as bad as I expected it to be, and it was in her honor. So, I was just thinking about the sacrifice she made for all of us, and I'm like, I can do this for 30 seconds,” said Jill.
While Casey’s dad, a former police chief said, “I have had cold training, we always had the wetsuits. So, it was a little colder without the wetsuits.”
The bridge dedication with the family and local government officials will kick off at the North End Fire Department in Rensselaer at 11 am. The group will then walk to the sign for the unveiling with Senator Jake Ashby.