Jackson schools community jumps into cold Lake Cable to raise money

JACKSON TWP. − Lake Cable Elementary fourth grader Noah Behrens felt nervous about jumping into the frigid waters of Lake Cable for the first time to raise money for charity.

"I was like, 'Oh no. I'm about to get so cold. I don't know what's going to happen,'" he said.

Noah was among a group of about 75 Lake Cable Elementary students, teachers and staff who took part in the eighth annual Polar Bear Plunge charity fundraiser. They crowded into an inflatable polar bear head at the Lake Cable Recreation Association clubhouse by the cold lake. Noah's father Andy Behrens later shared a video of what happened next as the song "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" played.

"Lake Cable Elementary, are you ready? On three, two, one, launch!" the announcer said.

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The entire group accompanied by the school's principal, Angela Leggett, dashed into the water. Leggett ran in holding a sign that said, "Team Polar Cubs Lake Cable."

Noah ran into the water and then belly flopped. The children screamed as they came in contact with the water. And then they rushed back to the shore to get out.

"I like froze," Noah said. "I got so cold that I could like not even move. ... And I did not like that."

The 9-year-old boy waddled out, and his father quickly provided him some warm clothes. Noah warmed up in his dad's pickup truck. He said he raised About $150 from eight donors for the organizer of the Polar Bear Plunge, Saint Baldrick's, a charity that seeks to raise funds for childhood cancer research, and the Jackson Local Schools Foundation.

After a few minutes of warming up in the car with a blanket wrapped around him, Noah was asked if he'd do the plunge next year.

"Probably. Because it was fun," he said.

The Lake Cable team was among 20 teams that took the plunge from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. It was sunny with temperatures in the high 30s. Many participants got immersed wearing their purple Polar Bear Plunge shirts. The Jackson Local School District's mascot is a polar bear.

Jackson Local Schools Superintendent Christopher DiLoreto led the first team into the water around 12:30 p.m. He's done the plunge every February since it started in 2016. Jim Camp, the owner of Cutler Real Estate, is credited with coming up with the idea. Each of Jackson Local Schools' elementary schools had a large contingent participate.

School district spokesman Todd Porter and foundation President Kody Gonzalez said grants from the Jackson Local Schools Foundation have funded 3D printers, robotics kits, solar car kits and virtual-reality goggles for classrooms.

Gonzalez, a Class of 2000 Jackson High School graduate, said just under 500 people took part this year, a record. Of them, the elementary school teams provided about 185 jumpers. Gonzalez estimated the event Saturday raised about $65,000 for the foundation and partner charities.

Reach Robert at [email protected]. Twitter: @rwangREP