Lakeview Polar Bear Club Presents 5th Annual Celebration of Shrinkage - starring Short-Media staff members

[primesuspect]

Early next year, the 25th of February, 2006, three short-media staff members and several other absolute loons will be taking a nice refreshing swim off the frigid, windy coast of Chicago, IL into sunny Lake Michigan in order to raise money for a family in need.

Every year, the Lakeview Polar Bear Club (http://www.geocities.com/brianmarchal/PolarBearClub.html) chooses a family in need and then... well... jumps into really cold water in order to raise that money. Last year was the coldest event in the history of the club - the air temperature was 9F(-12c) and the water was 32.2F (.11c). Suffice to say, it was COLD.

At any rate, we at short-media choose to use the lovely platform of the mass internet media to solicit donations. In exchange for your donation, besides helping a family in need, you get to see one of the owners of Short-Media.com embarass himself in front of thousands by writing messages on his body in exchange for donations.

You can read more about last year's event here (http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26378) and here (http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26428).

As I did last year, I will be selling my body as a billboard to raise money. Last year my flabbergasting flubber was worth over $200, and this year I'm gunning for $300.

I have a secret though - I'm rapidly losing weight, and I've dropped 21 pounds since then, so I'm not sure how much of me will be left by February. By the time the lake jump of 2007 rolls around, I might be as skinny as Marc, so this could be your last chance to see me embarass myself for the sake of charity.

So for the low price of at least $25, you can get a small message on MAH BELLAH or other part of my torso.

Get in while the getting is good! PM me if you want to donate

Source: ShortMedia (http://www.short-media.com/forum/)

[Leonardo]

You must immerse this time! :mad: You don't have to stand there forever turning all shades of blue and green - that's not "Polar Bear" tradition, it's just standing in the cold. It's actually easier to just charge out into the water, plunge in, run back to the shore, and grab a large towel or blanket.

[Camman]

Well I got my <i>prime</i> advertising real estate (haha I'm so funny) reserved, w00t. :D

[primesuspect]

Leo, it sounds like nothing, but i'm telling you immersion into 32.2 degree water when the air temp is 9 degrees is a terrifying prospect... I will try my hardest this year, though. :eek3:

[Gravite2090]

I jumped in some water once when it was about 20F outside and it shocked my body. This sounds scary, but awesome. Maybe by Febuary I won't be so broke! Hey what happened to that other thing you did Prime? Are you still in jail?

[GnomeWizardd]

Damn I cant waitto move up north so I can join in on this

[QCH]

I'm gonna be there... but not wrapped up like last year... I'll be jumpping in too... This ought to be "fun"....





Glad I have two kids already.... I may never reproduce again. :shakehead

[Leonardo]

32.2 degree water when the air temp is 9 degrees is a terrifying prospect... That's why they call it "Polar Bear" and not swamp rat! Just ensure that you've got people on the beach who will do nothing but look out for your safety, meaning keep you from developing hypothermia. Those shore hands need to have lots of towels and blankets on hand. Actually, jumping into completey cold water is much less risky than just standing still, letting your blood temperature fall. The plunge makes your heart rush; as long as you dry of quickly, you'll be just fine. After you are dry and have clothes back on, you'll feel wonderful.

[Shorty]

Crazy guy at it again ;D

Sign me up :D

[GooD]

Hahahah, what a great project !

That's a very special way to help people and recieve donation :D

Good luck to all of those who will get their body in this water tough, i live in quebec and we have pretty cold temp after summer. I've done one time a 'near winter' swim in a lake with water temp at ~10 degree for fun and i must say it was not fun at all hah

It was not a jump tough, i gradually get my body in the water in like 5 minutes hah ;) Jumping in a cold lake like that takes a heavy load of determination ;D

[mmonnin]

Awesome.

So its Brian, Q, and me so far. Gnome are you gonna come along? It would be a great time. This is open to anyone that would like to come along and take a dive. Even if you dont jump in and can watch us freeze our asses off!

[Leonardo]

Do you have building or warm car to jump in after you emerge from the water and towel off?

[QCH]

Nope.... A towel, a change of cloths, a winter jacket, some hot coco... Most just run in, stand for a minute, then run back. Some fools (Marc) try to stay in as long as possible.... Me... Prime and I go in together, and leave together.... :thumbsup:

[primesuspect]

Last year we had to walk about a half mile back to the car, which was probably the worst part of the whole thing :( :wtf: :bawling:

[mmonnin]

And then drive a few more miles back to my cousin's apt where we all met up at. I was frozen before I even got in really.

[Leonardo]

I'm trying to help, guys. Can you find a place where you can park not far from the beach. You get out of the car (or van or schoolbus is better), strip off all but swimsuit, walk to the water's edge, and walk or run out to where it's deep enough to immerse. You quickly then run back to the shore, are greated with large towels, followed by blankets or quilts. Then get back in the vehicle. I can understand the pain of just standing out there for a prolonged period. Man, that is not good. That lowers your blood temperature - hypothermia, which as you know, can put you in the hospital or worse. The quick violent plunge hurts like hell and makes you feel like your lungs are going to explode, but your body temperature doesn't suffer. Ten minutes after drying off, you feel like the king of the world.

[mmonnin]

Well its kinda of like a beach park area and the parking is along the road. Everyone waiting til we were all out, dried off, and clothed before we took off. We all kinda just carpooled our way down to the beach.

Yeah I basically couldnt feel my whole lower body at all by the time I got out since I was standing at the point where a small wave would come up and catch my twig and berries. It took me awhile to warm up even after we got back to the apt.

[primesuspect]

The beach is such that there is no close parking spot. It's just swim, warm up as much as possible, and then the long painful trek back to the car :cool:

[QCH]

Why again do I want to do this??? :scratch:

[Oriane]

Haha! My Dad did this in Oregon when I was little and he was 6'1" and 180lb. Actually there is some evidence that there may be a health benefit in doing this. However, I wouldn't recommend it to someone with health/heart problems or subject to cramping. I'm not sure what is all involved with your activity, primesuspect, but my Dad's was dive in and get out. I'm sure the wind makes it more interesting too. But losing weight is likely a bigger benefit for you in the long run.

Well, best to you on this PS. If you DO come back next year- maybe go for more than $25 :)

[primesuspect]

Read the links to last year's event to see the details. For most of us, it is jump in, run out... but for the "marcs", it was six and a half minutes in the water :wtf:

[Qeldroma]

prime,

I had this vision about the coming day of your swim ...

... it even came to me as a JPEG file ...

[primesuspect]

almost like that... not quite, but almost.... ;)

[primesuspect]

I jumped in some water once when it was about 20F outside and it shocked my body. This sounds scary, but awesome. Maybe by Febuary I won't be so broke! Hey what happened to that other thing you did Prime? Are you still in jail?


That was a huge success. We were able to raise $1205 for the MDA :)

Thanks again to everybody who donated online for that. We raised over $800 in online donations. :thumbsup:

[Leonardo]

And that's the bottom line! That's what counts. :thumbsup:

[Trogan]

Great collection made for MDA prime. :thumbsup:


Sorry, I don't donate prime. Wish I could but its not easy at the moment. Hopefully, one day I can if your still jumping in freezing oceans... :)

[RADA]

Prime,

Just a hint or two from a former Cape Cod Jan 1st Atlantic Ocean Polar Bear.

This works well if you don't spend a lot of time on the beach, before your plunge that is.

After you park your car, take a couple big fluffy towels, folded loosely, and wrapped in tin foil, and place them under the hood of your car. If you don't take too long, the engine will empart a nice amount of residual heat into those towels. Metal dissipates heat quicky, though, so if you take too long this won't work. A few disposable heat packs for your shoes will help you warm back up. Just remember to wear socks with then. Never put these heat packs directly on your skin, most heat up to 120 degrees or more. With cold skin, you can get burned by them quickly. tape a couple right below the armpits of a t-shirt (OUTSIDE only!! - again, BURNS) to help bring your core temp back up.

A thermos full of your favorite WARM, not hot, tea will help out too. If the tea is too hot your body will have a hard time with it, Our bodies look for balance, The tea should be around 100 - 110 degrees. Any higher and it will actually make you colder, as your body tries to cool down all that hot liquid entering your body, by drawing more blood from your extremities..

[primesuspect]

Bump! We are still short of the $300 mark with about a month to go! :)