PORTLAND (WGME) — The Polar Dip and Dash started with chilly 5K run and ended with hundreds of people taking a dip in the frigid ocean waters of East End Beach Wednesday.
The Polar Dip and Dash is an annual event put on by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The group says every cent helps the organization with its efforts to reduce the harmful effects of climate change.
The water was about 40 degrees when participants jumped in. The water was close to 20-degrees warmer than the air-temperature at the time but people say it was well worth the misery. “Very, very cold, frigid actually,” participant Nicole Ramsdell said.
Participant Dacy MaCeachen added: “It was cold enough that I had to tell myself to run back out (laughter)… It’s great to help do something that will better the world and our future for our kiddos.”
Lisa Pohlmann, Natural Resources Council of Maine, says the Polar Dip and Dash is about taking bold action. “We need to take bold action. We’ve got 200 bold participants coming to jump in the water today. We need our policy makers to take bold action,” Pohlmann said.
This year the Natural Resources Council of Maine has raised more than $18,000. They say the money will go toward battling climate change.
