Town of Brookhaven White Collar Unit 4th Vice President Eric Shutka, Suffolk Retirees Local member Bob Brandow, Retired Town of Brookhaven member Michael Kobaiuk and Town of Brookhaven White Collar Unit Corresponding Secretary Linette O’Neil proudly plunge.
CSEA members in our Long Island, Central and Western regions recently participated in Polar Plunges in their regions to raise money for Special Olympics New York.
On Long Island, the self-proclaimed ‘CSEA Crazies’ took a cold dip into the waters off Cedar Beach in the Town of Brookhaven. Our members raised about $2,000 through donations, t-shirts sales and food sales on the day of the event.
In our Central Region, the CSEA CNY Polar Peeps represented at the Oneida Shores Polar Plunge on December 8. The team was faced with a twist this year but managed to rise to the challenge.
CSEA Western Region members and their families get ready to take a dip into chilly Lake Erie at the Buffalo Polar Plunge. From left are Clarence Central School District Unit member Bridgit Reitz, Erie County Educational Employees Local activist Patty Reitz, J.D. Reitz, Erie County Educational Employees Local activist Deb Morley, Western Region President Bob Pyjas, Erie County Local Executive Vice President Bill Wilkinson and Erie County Local activists Amy Owczarczak and Diana Rose.
The ice on Oneida Lake wasn’t broken up, so participants weren’t able to take the traditional Polar Plunge. Instead, a local fire department sprayed water from the top of the truck’s ladder in a non-traditional “polar shower.” To date, the region has raised more than $12,000 through plunges in Binghamton, Massena and Syracuse.
In Buffalo, dozens of Western Region members plunged into Lake Erie as our union’s first-ever team at the Buffalo Polar Plunge. Our members have participated in the Rochester Polar Plunge for years and will do so again when that event is held in February. To date, the region has raised more than $6,000 for the Special Olympics New York.
— Wendi Bowie, Nicholas Newcomb and Ove Overmyer
The Central Region Polar Peeps team, led by Central Region President Kenny Greenleaf, front row, center, prepares for action.
