A cold, windy February morning marked the seventh annual Polar Plunge at Lake Raleigh on Centennial Campus.

Participants dressed up in funky and fancy costumes to take a plunge in the chilly water Saturday morning. Organizers also hosted a 5k challenge to assist with the fundraising efforts.

The big crowd included “plunging” teams and an audience who came to witness the craze of another N.C . State tradition.

Police Lieutenant David Kelly explained the reason behind the fundraiser.

“We are doing the polar plunge for the North Carolina Special Olympics. Every year they have a huge fundraiser event throughout the state, and all the law enforcement agencies get together and have all this fundraiser stuff to raise money for North Carolina Special Olympics,” Kelly said.

He said the event was successful, as there were about 1,000 runners for the 5k challenge and 44 teams for the Polar Plunge.

“It was a great event today. It has grown every year and we have had more and more participants,” Kelly said.

Kelly said the event brought its largest crowd this year.

 ”I think we’ve had close to about 800 to about a thousand runners in the 5k run. We had about 43 to 44 teams that actually took a plunge into Lake Raleigh today, so it was a very good event,” Kelly said.

Kelly said that the event raised $29,000 to $30,000 and that proceeds will go towards the Special Olympics

The money was raised through sponsors giving money to groups jumping into the lake, some of the money was raised through the 5k run, and other money was raised through individual donations either to a person or a team that jumped in the lake.

Kelly was happy with the efforts of the University in raising money, and hoped for a bigger event next year.

“We are just very glad that North Carolina State University could raise money for the North Carolina Special Olympics, and we look forward to having a bigger and better event next year,” Kelly said.

The N.C . State Student Government Team, comprising Andy Walsh, Brian Krystek , Josh Privette and Chandler Thompson, also took a plunge to join the tradition.

Student body president Chandler Thompson said she thought it wasn’t a good idea to sign up for the plunge, but she didn’t see what was coming.

“I was thinking that it was a crazy idea to sign up for this. It is really cold outside and the wind wasn’t helping,” Thompson said, “I was definitely freezing, and didn’t know what to expect when it was time to run into the water.”

She described her plunging experience as freezing, but she was glad that she participated.

“I wasn’t sure what it was going to feel like running into the water, but it was freezing. An organizer had told me the water was warmer than the air, such a lie,” Thompson said, “when we were running in the water, I was immediately splashed and soaked before I even got too far into Lake Raleigh.”

Thompson said that she was happy to see the passion of the University for the cause.

“I was freezing and wanted to get into dry clothes as soon as possible. But all along, I was excited to be a part of such a high-spirited event that was raising money for the North Carolina Special Olympics,” Thompson said.

Andy Walsh, traditions chair in student government, said he had been looking forward to the event.

Walsh said he wanted to complete another tradition listed in the “Brick,” and help in the noble cause of the tradition.

“As a traditions chair, I helped create the Brick, and Polar Plunge is a part of it. I wanted to take part in this tradition too, as it is my junior year and I figured I should do it this year,” Walsh said. “The money goes to such a noble cause, so that made the decision very easy to make.”

Walsh said he tried several strategies to mentally overcome the cold.

“I was standing next to Chandler, Brian and Josh, and we were coming up with our strategy to rush into the cold water, and we knew it was going to be cold so I was trying to think of warm thoughts, but I was definitely excited and had a adrenaline rush,” Walsh said.

 Since Walsh hadn’t brought a change of clothes, and the wind was hitting him like ice, they ran to the warmth of their cars once they were done plunging.

“I didn’t bring a change of clothes, so our team just plunged, came out. After I got out of the water, the wind was hitting my face like ice, gathered our stuff on the side and sprinted towards our cars to get to a warmer place.” Walsh said.

Walsh encourages students to be a part of the great cause at least once.