Late-season Polar Dip raises $5K for Sebago Lakes Chamber's 'Feed the Need' Program

By Masha Yurkevich

About three months behind schedule, Polar Dip participants of the annual Polar Dip rushed into 38-degree water at Raymond Beach, all for a great cause.

Seven participants take the plunge during the annual Sebago
Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce's Polar Dip at
Raymond Beach on Saturday, April 13. Funds raised
benefit 'Feed the Need,' a program that supports food
pantries in the Lakes Region.
PHOTO BY SCOTT WALDREN

Sponsored by Maine State Credit Union, the event is typically held in February at Raymond Beach where a hole is cut in the ice and participants jump into the water from the edge of the hole. But this year the Sebago Lake ice wasn't thick enough for participants to safely hold people in February, so the decision was made to postpone it until April when all the ice was completely melted.

As a result, instead of jumping in, participants would run in from the beach, said Robin Mullins, President and CEO of the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.

The Polar Dip previously was around for many years as part of the Sebago Lake Rotary's Ice Fishing Derby. The Maine Children's Cancer Network was the benefactor of the Polar Dip for many years. The chamber took over the Polar Dip portion in 2021.

“In 2020, I was approached by my fellow Sebago Lake Rotarian, George Bartlett,” says Mullins. “He was a huge proponent of the ‘dip’ and wanted to bring it back as part of the 2021 Ice Fishing Derby, and he wanted to know if I would help. I immediately said I would and asked if the proceeds could benefit the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Charitable Trust, or what we call ’Feed the Need.’ Food insecurity is a concern in the region and the ‘trust’ was started in 2016 to address that need.”

February 2021 was the first time the chamber hosted the Polar Dip as part of the Ice Fishing Derby. Mullins said it was a great opportunity during the pandemic to plan a fun, outdoor activity in partnership with the Sebago Lake Rotary Club while helping to alleviate hunger in the Sebago Lake Region.

“Participants of the Polar Dip get pledges,” says Mullins. “And 100 percent goes directly to Feed the Need. We partner with the town of Raymond and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. They provide assistance in traffic control, onsite emergency personnel, and divers in wetsuits who stay in the water to ensure participant safety.

Participants of the Polar Dip can be any age, young or old and everyone in between, who wants to brave the cold and raise money to help alleviate food insecurity.

“We did have several teams who were signed up in February who could not make it on April 13,” says Mullins. “We have learned the start of April vacation is not the best time for the Polar Dip.”

So, while participant numbers were down slightly this year, Mullins decided at 7 p.m. on Friday night, just 16 hours before the event, that she herself, for the first time, would take the plunge if she could get her family and friends to donate $250 on her behalf.

“Not only did I meet the $250 goal,” says Mullins, “but thanks to my Lakes Region BNI group, the Sebago Lake Rotary, members of the chamber board and a few of my fellow Windham High School 1986 graduates, I crushed it, bringing in an amazing $1,450.”

Because of the lack of ice in April, instead of jumping in, participants would run in from the beach.

The event brought in just over $5,000 from the eight participants, which included Mullins, two people from the Town of Standish, Dr. Mark Wasowski of Windham Chiropractic, a representative from Gorham Savings Bank, two representatives from Maine State Credit Union and a representative from Camp Skylemar.

Mullins said the $5,000 raised will be added to the $13,000 that has been raised over the last year and checks will be going out soon to the 12 food pantries in the Lakes Region including those in the towns of Casco, Gray, Naples, New Gloucester, Raymond, Sebago, Standish and Windham.

“A huge thank you to our participants, our volunteers and sponsors from Maine State Credit Union, Raymond Fire and Rescue, the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, and Richie Vraux and Jonathan Priest from the chamber board,” Mullins said.

Pledges and donations can still be made. Please visit the chamber website at SebagoLakesChamber.com/FeedtheNeed for more details.

“Sadly, we lost our great community partner George Bartlett last year,” said Mullins. “In his honor, we will be renaming the dip to the George Bartlett Memorial Sebago Lake Polar Dip. He loved the Polar Dip and poured his heart and soul into it.”

The date for next year’s Polar Dip is set for Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at Tassel Top Beach in Raymond. <