Thank you to the 3,557 Polar Plungers who raised a "cool” $1,119,000 at the 2012 Polar Plunge Winter Festival, the most ever raised in the event’s 20-year history.

“Raising one million dollars for the second year in a row is incredible,” said Rick Jeffrey, Special Olympics Virginia president. “More importantly, though, these funds will help us to build bigger, better, more inclusive communities across the state of Virginia.”

Still have Plunge money? Send it, along with the Plunger's name, to our Virginia Beach office: 184 Business Park Drive, Suite 202, Virginia Beach VA 23462. Call 757.962.1575 with any questions.

• Joe Rampale, www.forgotthecamera.com (images free for downloading)

• Photos by Chuck Gerloff
  
• Photos by John Cadell
  
• Photos by Tom Gorman
• Photos by Jeff Saxman

393 local students raised $42,626 and took the icy dip into the Atlantic Friday, Feb. 3 during the second annual Polar Plunge Cool School Challenge. The top fundraising team, Plaza Middle School, not only took home some great incentives, but four students also will get to anchor the morning news on WTKR NewsChannel 3 in early March!

Congratulations, too, to the this year's top fundraising teams - click here for the results!