Polar Plunge sees ‘great comeback’
From left, Nancy Ambrose, Jessie Spicher and Shanna Best warm up by the bonfire after jumping into the Allegheny River at this year’s Parker Polar Plunge on Sunday, Jan. 1. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle
About 225 people kicked off the new year by participating in the Parker Polar Plunge Sunday, Jan. 1.
While that number of people willing to jump in an icy river may seem unusually large, it’s actually below average for the event, which had been an annual ceremony in Parker since 2006.
The Polar Plunge did not take place officially in 2021 or 2022, so Mandy Libecco, president of Parker Polar Plunge, said this year’s event was a “great comeback,” even though the average participation is around 300 people.
