ANN ARBOR – It was a big night at the Big House in Ann Arbor Friday night as nearly 500 people participated in the 2020 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge inside Michigan Stadium, raising $100,000 for Special Olympics Michigan! The 485 plungers set a new record for the largest Polar Plunge at Michigan Stadium in the event’s 8-year history. The previous record for a Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan was 412 plungers, set in 2014. With 485 plungers, this year’s Polar Plunge at the University of Michigan also makes it the largest Polar Plunge participation-wise in 2020, Muskegon had 475 Plungers, and the second-largest Polar Plunge in the 12-year history of the Polar Plunge series in Michigan. Detroit was the largest in 2014 with 557 plungers.

Polar Plunges across Michigan have now raised $910,000 this season. With 11 Polar Plunges remaining on the schedule, this year’s Polar Plunge series is on pace to break the previous fundraising record of $1.2 million dollars in a single season.

Saturday, plunges took place at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, MacRay Harbor in Harrison Township and the Tiki Bar & Boil in Walled Lake. Thursday, Feb. 27, Michigan legislators will brave the cold by taking a Polar Plunge in a pool in front of the State Capitol building in Lansing. A complete list of remaining Polar Plunges can be found at somi.org/polarplunge.