City School District employees, administrators, teachers, and staff, along with first responders from Batavia, participated in a Special Olympics fundraiser on Friday -- a polar plunge -- outside of John Kennedy Intermediate School.

The participants dashed -- in freezing weather -- under the spray of a fire truck's hose and got soaked.

The event raised $8,700 for Special Olympics.

Kelly Ligozio, senior development director for Special Olympics in Western New York, said the Buffalo polar plunge was last week and typically honors the school in Western New York that raised the most money for Special Olympics.  But Ligozio said she told the director, who has been in the position for 23 years, that they had to wait for Batavia's event before naming a winner.  The director wanted to maintain tradition, but Ligozio said the agency owed it to Batavia to wait because Batavia was the only school district to continue to hold the fundraising event during the pandemic.

So, they waited.

And Batavia won.  Special Olympics will host an ice cream social at John Kennedy sometime this year and the school's colors will be part of the Polar Plunge sweatshirt next year.

"It's amazing," Ligozio said. "What's amazing about it is how they've broadened it to include all the schools in the district so all the different schools can participate."

Press release:

The City of Batavia Police Department has accepted the challenge to support Special Olympics New York by participating in the Polar Plunge located at John Kennedy Intermediate on Feb. 10, and has set a goal to raise at least $1,000!

Children and adults with intellectual differences that participate in Special Olympics New York pledge an oath, "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt". Today, the oath has never been truer, and Special Olympics New York athletes need our help!

How can you help? Please take a moment to visit our personal fundraising page and make a donation to help us reach our fundraising goal!

Your donation will help Special Olympics New York continue to provide year-round sports training, athletic competition and healthy living programs. Giving every athlete to experience physical fitness, learn to be courageous, experience joy and meet new friends with Special Olympics New York athletes.

Thank you for considering a donation to this fundraiser! We will continue to update our progress to reaching our fundraising goal and we appreciate the support!

Be on the lookout for our School Resource Officers, Officer Borchert and Officer Stevens on February 10th participating in this event!

If you wish to donate or register yourself to join our team and participate (Batavia Blue Devils), you can click this link. http://events.nyso.org/goto/BataviaPoliceDepartment

Thank you for your support!

The current class in the 22nd Basic Course for Police participated in the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Polar Plunge on Dec. 4. All 24 recruits attended and 17 of them actually braved the 40 degree waters of Lake Erie for the cause.

They generated more than $1,000 in donations, coming in 24th place out of 89 competing teams in this annual event.

"This was a total volunteer event and I appreciate the hard work of this class for a great cause," said Douglas Brooks, director of GC's Rural Police Training Academy Brooks.

The event generates funds and raises awareness to benefit the Special Olympics, with similar events occurring throughout the year at locations across the country.

"It is a very unique way of not only raising funds for a great cause, but also building camaraderie among the recruits," Brooks said.