Taking the Plunge TWO FAMILIES UNITE THE COMMUNITY FOR A SPECIAL CAUSE BY JANIS VON KAENEL
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round every first Sunday in March, when the air is cold, the skies are gray and the weather can be chilly, thousands of people gather to run, jump and leap into the brisk waters of Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach for a quick dip. It’s not just for some wintery wonder; it’s for a cause that has been going strong for almost 20 years. The Chicago Polar Plunge, benefiting Special Olympics Chicago, has assisted in raising funds to serve more than 7,500 Special Olympians for year-round sports
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training and competitions. The Plunge is one of Special Olympics Chicago’s largest fundraising events to raise money and awareness. Residents of Downers Grove David and Holly Francis and Mark and Cindy Clifford are no strangers to the yearly tradition. In fact, the couples serve as co-captains to the largest noncorporate team in Chicagoland:The Plungaholics. In 2019, the couples rallied a crew of over 100 team members to take the plunge and raised $38,000, ranking them 8th place overall for their team fundraising efforts. Since the Francises and Cliffords
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