Michelle DePasquale has been a member of the Chilly Willies team, an exciting group of people that raise funds for the Polar Plunge each year, since 2012. The Polar Plunge is a fun event hosted during the first week in December at Woodlawn Beach to raise funds for Special Olympics New York (SONY). Everyone braves the elements during the Polar Plunge and jumps into Lake Erie in sub zero temperatures to raise money for a good cause.
“We all believe in SONY, most particularly Danielle Kozub who has a degree in Special Education and who initially started the team,” said DePasquale. “Doing the Polar Plunge year after year has bonded everyone together as lifelong friends and each year we raise more money than the year before, so it’s almost like a challenge to us to beat the previous year’s final numbers.”
Determination and togetherness is exactly why the Chilly Willies will be hosting a scavenger hunt 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at O’Neill’s Stadium Inn, 3864 Abbott Road, Orchard Park. The event will include a costume contest and prizes. The cost is $100 per team (four people per team). Check in is at 1:30 p.m. and costume judging starts at 1:45 p.m. Prizes include a liquor basket for the costume contest winner. First place prize for the scavenger hunt includes cash, second prize includes a four hour taxi service and one hour of open bar at O’Neill’s and third prize includes an Exit Room session for up to eight people.
“This year we decided to make things a little bit more fun by incorporating the scavenger hunt. We are also hosting a meat raffle on Nov. 13 (the Buffalo Bills bye week). Last year we were the sixth team in fundraising out of more than 120 teams and we had no corporate sponsors unlike other top teams. It was just 10 regular people out to have a good time and raise some money for a good cause,” said DePasquale.
For more information on this fun event and how you can support the Chilly Willies in their mission, contact DePasquale at 860-6094.
