Members of the Butler County Water Rescue Team 300 watch participants in Saturday's Douse for a House event at Lake Arthur. The event drew 67 people who plunged into the icy waters at Moraine State Park.

MUDDY CREEK TWP — A group cut a hole through Lake Arthur's icy surface with chainsaws Saturday morning, then 67 people came along and hopped in.

The ninth annual Douse for a House saw dozens of fundraising volunteers submerge themselves in the frigid waters at Moraine State Park. The event is an annual inter-county cooperation where Butler County's state park and residents help raise money for the neighboring Lawrence County's Habitat for Humanity.

“It's just something crazy different, I guess,” said Annie Miller, president of the Lawrence County's Habitat board of directors. “There isn't really another plunge in this area.”

This year, plungers raised about $17,500, according to Miller who didn't jump in this year, but has before. Still, she couldn't really put into words why someone would want to plunge into freezing cold water.

“It's just something crazy to do in the middle of winter, but I don't really know,” she said. “I don't know what makes people want to do it.”

Read the rest of the story in Monday's print edition of the Butler Eagle.

This year’s oldest plunger Saturday at the Douse for a House event was 85-year-old Duane Harms. He joined 66 other people jumping into the icy Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park, Muddy Creek Township. The Butler County Water Rescue Team 300 was on hand to make sure everyone came out of the lake safely.Tanner Cole/Butler Eagle