Peekskill Hudson River Plunge Raises $10,200 for Good Cause
Some of the 28 participants who signed up for the third annual Polar Plunge at the Riverfront Green in Peekskill on New Year’s Day were stripping down for the first time. Others, such as Christine Bischoff of Peekskill, were returning for a third consecutive frigid dip in the Hudson River.
Dan Keegan, 41, of Peekskill, said he was back to support the This Is Me Foundation and experience the bone chilling temperatures of the winter water after last year only being sprayed by a fire hose because of ice buildup.
“Once you’re wet, you’re wet. There’s nothing you can do about it,” said Keegan, who revealed his preparation technique was a shot of whiskey before and after the plunge.
Sisters Mandy McGuire of Buchanan and Tana McGuire of Yorktown conceded they were risk takers and happy to support the efforts of Lauren and Caitlin Brady, sisters and creators of the This is Me Foundation, which raises awareness about alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss, which both were diagnosed with in high school.
“It’s like being baptized all over again,” Mandy McGuire quipped. “We’re freezing but we’re smiling.”
“We’re bucket list people,” Tana McGuire said. “Every 10 minutes we drop another layer. When I go I want everyone to say that Tana didn’t miss anything.”
The Brady sisters said they were “completely overwhelmed” by the $10,200 that was raised, more than doubling their goal. The first Polar Plunge in 2013, which attracted 13 participants, raised $2,400. Last year, 35 plungers raised more than $6,100, tripling the goal of $2,000.
“It’s crazy,” Caitlin Brady said. “The worst part is leading up to it. The water is not bad.”
In January 2011, after watching Miss Delware 2010, Kayla Martell, take her wig off on National TV and explain she would compete in the 2011 Miss America pageant wearing a wig, as she too had alopecia, the Brady sisters decided they needed to do something to inspire others just as Martell had done for them. Three weeks later, on February 12, 2011, “This Is Me” was born as a two-and-a half minute YouTube PSA. The video was created to not only raise awareness about alopecia, but to try and inspire anyone who faces any insecurity.
In January 2012, the Brady sisters began giving six $500 scholarships as part of “This Is Me.” The college scholarships are awarded to high school seniors at Walter Panas and Peekskill enrolled in college who have displayed leadership skills while having faced adversity of any kind or helped others through adversity. The scholarships are presented in honor of the Brady sister’s late friends Ryan Risco and Cait Chivonne Polhill.
The Polar Plunge is sponsored by The Quiet Man Public House in Peekskill. Joe Brady said he was so proud of his daughters.
“As a father you can’t feel much better,” he said. “This helps so many people. It’s wonderful.”
For more information on This Is Me Foundation, visit www.thisismefoundation.com.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
