Page 15 - Work Force April 2026

Southern Region members plunge for Special Olympics NY Southern Region members plunge for Special Olympics NY
WAPPINGERS FALLS — Our
union’s Southern Region
was well represented at
this year’s Polar Plunge for
Special Olympics New York,
raising more than $3,600 as
this edition went to press.
While prior team
members spent over 15
years jumping each year into
the lake at Camp Mariah in
Fishkill, this year’s event
instead involved a mobile
plunge pool that Special
Olympics recently unveiled
for plunges in the New
York area. Having the pool
allowed the organization to
spread the event over three
days, hosting plunges at
three different locations in
Dutchess County.
CSEA team members
took the plunge at Heritage
Financial Park, home of the
Hudson Valley Renegades
baseball team. With the
entire team coming from the
Mid-Hudson Department
of Transportation Region
8 Local, their attire had an
important theme. Dressed in
orange, they were promoting
work zone safety awareness.
The team was cheered
on by Southern Region
President Rosemarie
Kukys, Region Secretary
Sue Fontana, and Orange-
Ulster-Sullivan Retirees Local
Secretary Kathy Wills.
— Jessica Ladlee
Pictured in front of Special Olympics’ new plunge pool are, left, CSEA members
Heraclio and Nancy Gaytan with their daughters, Marcus Lunsford, Chris Conway,
the Polar Plunge mascot, Jessica Mallon, Southern Region Secretary Sue Fontana and
Southern Region President Rosemarie Kukys.
CSEA members
Nancy and Heraclio
Gaytan, with their
daughter Celeste,
take the plunge for
Special Olympics
New York.
CSEA members from the Department of
Transportation Region 8 Local promote
work zone safety awareness.
Freezing for a
reason, CSEA state
Department of
Transportation
members, from left,
Marcus Lunsford,
Jessica Mallon and
Chris Conway take
the Polar Plunge.
Cheering on plunge
team members were,
from left, Southern
Region President
Rosemarie Kukys,
Orange-Ulster-Sullivan
Retirees Local
Secretary Kathy Wills,
and Southern Region
Secretary Sue Fontana.
16 The Work Force April 2026