NRCM's 17th Annual Polar Bear Dip & Dash
Join us on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at the Southern Maine Community College campus in South Portland
Dip & Dash FAQs
Can I pick up my registration packet and bib early? Yes, you can join NRCM at Maine Beer Company in Freeport from 5-8 PM on Monday, December 30th to get your registration packet/bib so that you don't have to wait in line the day of the Dip & Dash. Come get your packet and grab a slice of pizza while you are there!
Is registration refundable and/or transferrable? Registration is non-refundable and non-transferrable.
When is the last day to register? Online registration will be available until a few days before the event. We will close online registration in order to assign bibs, but you will have the opportunity to register in-person at our packet pick-up on Monday, December 30th or at SMCC on the morning of the event. Please reach out to CDonohoe@NRCM.org with any questions.
Where do I park? Parking for the event will be available on SMCC campus. When you arrive on campus, watch for Polar Bear Dip & Dash signs directing you to park. Bike parking is available on campus. The South Portland Bus Service serves SMCC directly.
Where can I change? Individual changing areas will be available indoors & outdoors.
Is there a fundraising minimum to participate in the Dip & Dash? While participants are encouraged to raise additional funds there is no minimum, registration fees cover your participation in the event.
How can I have the greatest fundraising impact?
- Personalize & share your fundraising page! Add photos & a statement about your reason for participating. Then share this page with friends and family who can donate on your behalf.
- Encourage friends and family to dip or dash with you, either individually, or build a team and have a blast doing this as a group.
Accessibility Statement: Our venue (SMCC Dining Hall) is wheelchair accessible, with ramps for navigation. Accessible parking spaces and restrooms are available. The 5K run/walk course goes through the SMCC campus, over to Bug Light and back, weaving through streets, sidewalks, and trails. Conditions are weather-dependent and vary but can be wet and slippery. Access to Willard Beach from the SMCC Dining Hall area is via a staircase. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact CDonohoe@NRCM.org
Many thanks to our generous business sponsors:
The effects of climate change on Maine’s environment are severe. We’re already seeing extreme weather patterns. Wildlife habitat and our recreation, leaf-peeping, and fishing industries are threatened. Seas are rising and our air quality is decreasing.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine advocates for energy-efficient solutions for homes and businesses, pollution-free air, clean transportation, and renewable energy sources. Every cent raised through the Polar Bear Dip & Dash is used to directly support this work to reduce emissions and realize a clean energy future.
History
In 2009, 14 staff and family members gathered on East End Beach in Portland and plunged into the icy, cold Atlantic Ocean to raise funds and awareness of NRCM's work to curb climate-changing pollution and support a clean energy future for Maine.
Since then, we have had a polar plunge each year on New Year's Eve Day, with hundreds of participants. We added a 5K “warm-up” run in 2011. From 2020-2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we switched to an all-virtual format...and still met our fundraising goals! In 2022, we moved to a new location at Southern Maine Community College's South Portland campus for our December 31st for an in-person event.
Watch a fun video by Josh Gerritsen of one of our past Dip & Dash events.
