What does a college student, a 6-year-old boy, two teenage girls and their dad and a group of journalists have in common?

They’ll all jump into a river in the middle of February.

Yes, many people participated Saturday morning in the second annual Polar Bear Plunge, splashing through the Animas River and frolicking in the snow and mud.

“It was exhilarating, I loved it,” said Lili Whitin as she shivered under a towel after the plunge. “Now that I’m a senior citizen, I’m doing more things.”

While it was hard to count all of the plungers, with several joining each of the three waves and others getting back in for more, it looked like between 30 and 40 plungers met at the bank at 32nd Street and East Third Avenue.

“There were way more than last year, and some people went twice,” said Andrew Lindbloom, who organizes the event.

About 20 people attended the plunge last year, and Lindbloom hopes the event will continue to grow in years to come. Several local businesses donated food, warm drinks, a heater and a tent to help support the new winter tradition.

The only two rules of the plunge are that participants have to completely submerge themselves in the river, and they must wear shoes.

Last year, a Herald reporter cut his foot while conducting some firsthand journalism during his plunge. This time, to Lindbloom’s delight, Patrick Young was back for fun, and luckily, he was wearing shoes.

The idea to plunge came when Lindbloom, who was living at Hilltop House last year, realized that he and others recovering from substance abuse couldn’t participate in the Snowdown Beer Plunge.

Lindbloom thought the Polar Bear Plunge would be a fun, sober event, and he said he hopes eventually to hold it as part of Snowdown.

In the meantime, his word-of-mouth affair has attracted plenty of followers and several repeat plungers.

“Last year, I couldn’t wait to get in again, so I jumped in a second time,” said Chad Hare, who’s been to both plunges. “It’s a lot colder this year. It was ridiculous.”

Fort Lewis College freshman Victoria Isaac said she was plunging for the first time after her statistics professor, Betty Dorr, offered the class extra credit for participating.

For Animas High School students Heidi and Hannah Williams, it was their father who convinced them to join in.

The sisters had no idea they’d be starting their morning in the Animas River until their father woke them up and asked them to come Saturday morning, they said.

“I’ll do it next year; I’ll do it more than once, as long as I have a warning,” Hannah Williams said.

The Williams sisters and other gutsy guys and gals in the third wave of plungers received a Hollywood ending with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train whistling past them. Several participants joked about what tourists on the train from Texas or Florida might think seeing a bunch of people running around the river in their swimsuits.

“That cold is shocking,” Lindbloom said, “As soon as you hit that water, the adrenaline kicks in and your heart starts beating all through your body.”

scook@durangoherald.com