Polar Plunge closes in on goal
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A squad of new recruits from Brandon Police Service is set to take the Polar Plunge today among law enforcement staff and community members to raise money for local athletes in the Special Olympics.
The new recruit Polar Plunge activity is becoming a tradition for the BPS, Const. Jordan Barbeau told the Sun. He said that the same thing took place in 2025 when the polar plunge returned to Brandon.
“Last year, we also had the recruits plunge as well. It’s a good time,” he said. “Almost the whole recruit class last year plunged.”
Brooke Huculak of the Brandon Police Service plunges into the water last year during the Polar Plunge. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun files)
“And I think all of them are signed up this year as well.”
In an interview with the Sun, BPS recruit Liam Hammersley said the decision to participate was a bit of a no-brainer.
“It was pretty much just, ‘Let’s just do it.’ And it’s for a good cause,” he said in a phone call. “Everybody’s more than happy to.”
Seven recruits are set to take part this year, he said.
The Polar Plunge is set to start at 11:30 a.m. at the Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University.
The event is a fundraiser for local athletes from Westman who will travel to the upcoming Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games in Medicine Hat from Aug. 11-15. The Brandon plunge will support the softball and soccer teams, among others, helping to provide the teams with coaching, training and competition experiences.
Organizers set the goal this year at a fundraising total of $24,000. The event had already raised more than $19,000 as of Friday afternoon.
The Brandon Police Service had donated roughly $3,810, the Canada Border Services Agency Westman division had donated roughly $1,670, a community group titled Frozen Assets came in with about $1,200, the Brandon Correctional Centre donated about $1,200, and MNP donated $662, as of yesterday.
The event is a strong reflection of community spirit, and has been a success so far in Brandon, Melissa Suggitt, director of marketing for Special Olympics Manitoba, told the Sun.
“It’s fun, it’s high energy, and it has a very real impact beyond event day,” Suggitt wrote in an email. “Brandon has continued to show up in a big way for this event, and that kind of support means more athletes can stay involved in sport, build confidence, and be part of their community.”
Spectators are encouraged to join the crowd for the event today, she said.
The 2026 plunge will mark the fourth of nine happening in Manitoba this year. The plunges directly support more than 2,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities in Manitoba, giving them the opportunity to compete in 17 sports.
Last year, 39 people took the plunge, and $19,000 had been fundraised by the time the plunge took place.
» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com