Brave Group to Super Plunge 24 Times in 24 Hours for Special Olympics

The Law Enforcement Torch Run Super Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Connecticut, an event during which participants plunge into the cold waters near the Westbrook Elks Lodge every hour for 24 consecutive hours, will take place on Saturday, November 18th and Sunday, November 19th. The Westbrook Elks Lodge is located at 142 Seaside Avenue, Westbrook, and the first plunge is scheduled to take place on Saturday at 1 p.m. For more information and to make a donation to support the bold participants, visit https://give.soct.org/event/2023-letr-super-plunge/e469811 or email specialolympicsct@soct.org. Spectators are welcome. All are invited and encouraged to attend the Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser that will be held at the Westbrook Elks Lodge on the eve of the Super Plunge, Friday, from 5-9 p.m. For tickets, go to https://bit.ly/49v9YBz. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

Participants in this year's Super Plunge include Detective Anthony Bongiovanni, Officer Brandon Caires, Lieutenant Erik Gutsfeld, Sergeant Joe Smith, Officer Joshua Cheney and Sergeant Steven Morgan from the Rocky Hill Police Department, Sergeant Connor Martin from Hartford HealthCare, Officer Erin Connole from the Avon Police Department, Captain Joe Carlone from the Connecticut Department of Corrections (retired), Sergeant Nikki Mordasiewicz from the Hartford Police Department, Brian Meyer, John Chandler, Renee DiNino from iHeart Radio/ The River 105.9 FM and Jamie Sienna, a member of the Rocky Hill Elks. Additional members of the Connecticut Elks will participate in the 24th and final Plunge on Sunday at noon.

For Martin, Sienna, Smith and Cheney, it will mark the first time that they are challenging themselves to complete the Super Plunge. The others have completed the feat in prior years.

About the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Connecticut
The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Connecticut is one of the movement's largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicles. A highlight of the program is the annual Torch Run, when officers from police departments and law enforcement agencies across the state participate in a three-day run leading up to the Special Olympics Connecticut Summer Games in June. The program extends throughout the year, as the officers also organize and host fundraisers that include but are not limited to Tip-a-Cop, Cop-on-Top and Penguin Plunge events.

Platinum Sponsors: The Hometown Foundation, Whelen Engineering, WWE, and The Bearingstar Insurance Charitable Fund
Gold Sponsors: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets

About Special Olympics Connecticut
Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competitions for close to 10,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners - their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 190 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing field. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: Bozzuto's Inc., the Connecticut Elks Association, Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource, The Hometown Foundation, Law Enforcement Torch Run, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney, Webster Bank and WWE.

Year-Round Suppliers: Adams Hometown Markets/IGA Hometown Supermarkets, Bozzuto's Inc., Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Marcus Communications, N&D Sports, Pepperidge Farm, State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Community Service, WORX, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, iHeart Radio Connecticut and NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut.