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Community invited to fundraising Polar Bear Dip

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 29, 2021

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Participants in the 2021 Port Angeles Polar Bear Dip emerge from the chilly water at Hollywood Beach in port Angeles.  Although there was no organized event last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, many people showed up anyway to run to take part in the annual ritual. This year's event is set for Saturday, Jan. 1. File photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group

Clallam residents and others are invited to join brave and intrepid dippers on New Year’s morning for the annual Port Angeles Polar Bear Dip, set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 1, at Hollywood Beach.

The Red Lion Inn and Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County (VHOCC) will be on site on with complimentary hot beverages and pastries.

The event is a fundraiser for Volunteer Hospice, and several staff members are challenging the community to get them to take the plunge or get drenched by buckets of ice water. Among them is the Nurse Report team (including nurses from VHOCC, but also open to any nursing professional) and VHOCC Volunteer Services Manager Astrid Raffinpeyloz.

Volunteer Dan Welden will also get in the water for the 34th consecutive year.

“It’s about getting the craziest thing you’ll do all year out of the way the very first day,” Weldon said.

Donations to VHOCC can be made online at vhocc.org — specify Polar Bear Dip in the “Anything else” section — by mail (829 E. Eighth St., Port Angeles 98362) or at the event itself.

Call Welden at 360-477-2586 for more information.