Celebration of Shrinkage

Hehe O yeah!

Lakeview Polar Bear Club's 4th Annual: Celebration of Shrinkage is this upcoming weekend on Saturday and I am taking the plunge into Lake Michigan. This will be my first such dive intol freezing water like Lake Michigan.

Why you ask? To help raise money for a needy family. Last year's event raised over $5000 for a family in Libertyville, Il (a suberb of Chicago). The mother of 3 children has since passed away from Breast Cancer.

"This year's event is raising money in honor of Ms. Gloria Tate. Gloria is a hardworking woman who has put the needs of others first. She has taken on the task of raising four wonderful children who came from a neglectful family. These children, ages 12-17, grew up in living in cars and abandoned houses and their situation did not immediately improve once Ms. Tate took them in. They were effectively evicted from their apartment due to the landlord excessively raising the rent; therefore, the family was forced to move into an extra room at a local mechanic's garage. The family recently found a nice apartment to move into, but the costs associated with rent, school, groceries, and other living expenses has put them on the verge of being back on the streets. In spite of life's challenges, Gloria has continued to work hard, support her children, keep her faith in God, and she has one of the most positive attitudes I have ever come across. There are many fantastic charities that raise money for good causes, but I am excited that we help specific families, the Tate family in particular."

The above paragraph is one that my parents recieved from my older cousin, Brian Marchal, who is in charge of the whole Polar Bear Club. He's a great guy with a good head on his shoulders and a great personality.

So a week from now on Saturday at noon I will be jumping into a freezing Lake Michigan to help raise money for Ms. Tate and her children. Donations this year will be tax deductable since the First Romanian Fundamentalist Baptist Chrurch (F.R.F.B.C.) is allowing the Club to donate through the church. I myself will be donating $50 and I have recieved $50 from my parents to jump in as well. Heck I might even dive completely under if someone pays me to. (I had an uncle dive in 2 years ago for an extra $100.) All donations are welcome and will mean the world for Ms. Tate and her Children.

Brian has a website set up with some pictures of the previous year's activities here.

If anyone would like to donate you can contact me or him or if anyone would like to be crazy enough and go in with me that would work as well. The more the merrier.

-mmonnin