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- Written by: Kelly Jo Ross - Breese Journal Reporter
Members of the O'Fallon Police Department's Polar Plunge team leave the waters at last year's Polar Plunge at Carlyle Lake. They were the top fundraising team for last year's event, and so far, they are the top fundraising team for this year's event. The Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Illinois will return to Carlyle Lake on Saturday, Feb. 22.
A tentative schedule has registration opening at the Mariners Village (1 Resort Dr. in Carlyle) at 9 a.m. and the Pre-Plunge Party at 10 a.m., the costume parade at 11:30 a.m. and the plunging starting at noon.
Come out in your best Plunge costume and party it up before starting the plunge, and what party it will be.
There will be food, drinks and games for everyone.
For the costume parade, the athletes will be rewarding one team and one individual with the Golden Plunger award for best costume.
There are 24 teams registered so far for this year's plunge. Team names are just as interesting as the costumes they put together for the plunge, including Wacky Warriors Wesclin, UNCOMN UGLIs, and Slippery When Wet.
O'Fallon Police Department is also registered, and, so far, has the most amount of money raised at $31,888.
O'Fallon Police Department also raised the most money last year for the event, raising over $68,000 for the cause.
The Polar Plunge held last year in 2024 had raised $115,400 for Special Olympics at the time of the event. Overall, plungers raised more than $2.4 million for the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois.
So far, this year, there is over $59,200 raised, with a goal of $100,000. However, donations are still coming in.
This is the 26th year of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Illinois.
This year's event is sponsored by Freddy's and the Law Enforcement Torch Run in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Special guests to attend that Feb. 22 Polar Plunge at Carlyle Lake include St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fred Bird, St. Louis Blues mascot Bluey and Special Olympics Ambassador Alex Huegen.
The Polar Plunge is a signature fundraising event for Special Olympics Illinois and a spectacle like no other, according to the event's website.
The Polar Plunge is a unique opportunity for students, teachers, teams and clubs to support their local Special Olympics Illinois athletes by committing to #PlungeIllinois in 2025.
Manuel Martinez Community Link has hired Manuel Martinez as the Director of Human Resources. As a Navy veteran and an experienced HR professional, Martinez brings great passion and leadership for the staff and organization.
Martinez served in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman both as a Lead Training Officer and Medical Instructor. He earned his Bachelors in Health Science and Masters in Business Administration from Purdue University Global.
He has over 12 years of human resources experience, including work with Combat Connect, UPS, DraftKings at Casino Queen, and more. Martinez is the founder and CEO of OmniHR, providing comprehensive HR solutions to clients, and is the founder and host of the Everything HR podcast. His expertise in training and development, business operations, and leadership has helped organizations strengthen their workforce and scale effectively.
Martinez resides in Fairview Heights with his wife and two daughters.
He says, “Life is not a straight line; it has twists and turns, and sometimes you get turned around or feel like you are stuck in the same spot. I can feel, through the leadership and culture of the Community Link team, that being ‘good’ isn’t enough. I can sense their compassion and empathy for their mission to provide choice, growth, and independence to our participants, and I am honored to be a part of driving that mission.”
“We look forward to integrating Manuel’s vast knowledge and skills in the Human Resource field as well as his experiences as a veteran of the United States Navy with the organization,” stated executive director, John Huelskamp, “Manuel has a solid vision of where he wants to take the HR Department and better support the organization’s most valuable resource, the staff of Community Link.”
Community Link is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities through a person-centered approach that promotes self-directed living choices and community integration opportunities. The mission of Community Link is to provide opportunities for choice, growth, and independence for adults with developmental disabilities. For more information visit commlink.org.