Hundreds take icy dip in the Yough to celebrate 2024
Instead of a morning snooze, 2024 began, for several hundred people, with a dip in the ice-cold Youghiogheny River.
“It’s a good way to start the new year,” said Shawn Hayes, 44, of Dawson as he waded into the river carrying his 2-year-old daughter, Paisley, on his shoulders.
Hayes, who joined more than 300 others at the 20th Connellsville Polar Bear Plunge, wasn’t content with walking into the 38-degree water — he took a dive.
“You’re warmer when you go under,” Hayes said.
After diving into the water without a T-shirt, Nick Keller took refuge next to a fire along the shore.
“It’s cold every year,” said Keller, seemingly not bothered by the 32-degree air temperature.
Mike Parlak of Connellsville, one of the founders of the annual event, said the size of this years’s crowd was good but smaller than a few years ago, when they had about 550 polar bears.
It was a family event for Jennifer Adams, 41, of Connellsville, who ventured into the water up to her thighs, accompanied by her daughter, Kennedy, 12.
“It’s wasn’t bad,” Adams said, recalling how, a few years ago on New Year’s Day, the river was clogged with ice when she and the others took the plunge.
Adams and her daughter wore matching T-shirts that read “In My 2024 Polar Bear Plunge Era” — a nod to their favorite singer, Taylor Swift, whom they saw perform in Pittsburgh over the summer.
“It’s now a family tradition,” Adams said, referring to the New Year’s Day plunge.
Those who took the plunge donated food to the food pantry operated by the Connellsville Area Community Ministry.
“It’s a community feeding the community,” said Dana Krofcheck, executive director of nonprofit community ministry, as she looked at all the boxes in the rear of the truck.
Krofcheck said the support is especially appreciated this year. Last month, a water main break flooded the basement of the organization’s Crawford Avenue headquarters, spoiling a lot of the food they intended to distribute to the needy.
“We are just overwhelmed with the support we get from the community,” Krofcheck said.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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