Sloper Plunge Makes Icy Return With Around 200 Jumpers

By Dean Wright, The Bristol Press

February 28, 2022

The 17th annual Sloper Plunge brought out hundreds to willingly embrace the icy waters of Camp Sloper’s Pond in lower 30s weather as a means of raising funds for YMCA Camp scholarships.

“It’s for kids and families in need to send them to camp in the summertime,” said Mark Pooler, CEO of the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA. “We’re hoping to raise over $80,000 to directly put that to families in need in Southington and Cheshire.”

YMCA Camp Sloper serves as the main camp of the area YMCA organizations, said the CEO, in conjunction with its colleague camps YMCA Camp Quinnipiac and Naciwonki Summer Adventures.

“We’re going to have about 200 plungers from a variety of different teams,” said Pooler. “Our featured team this year is the Brian Goralski Memorial Team and they’re called ‘Making It Happen!’”

Brian Goralski was a former chair of the Southington Public Schools Board of Education. Pooler said he was recognized by many for his years of service to the community and died of cancer last year. Goralski had been a plunger for over 10 years and the frigid jump was one of his favorite events, said Pooler.

Plungers dropped into a closed dock area cleared of ice, one after another, in the name of youth support. In addition to Team Making it Happen, plungers included Team Southington YMCA, Team Cheshire YMCA, Team Southington Police, Team Southington Fire Department, Team Southington Schools, Team Southington Politicians, Team Southington, Team Lake Compounce, Leaping Ladies, SHS Football and Hartford HealthCare.

Mike Ocone, member of the Cheshire Community YMCA Board of Directors, said he was cold just thinking about the plunge and had taken it once before.

“It was an absolutely freezing type of deal but to see all these others not really phased by it, I just have to toughen up,” he said. “It’s for a good cause. I just do it and try not to think about it and get out. I brought a robe this year and will get that on immediately.”

Mike Severino, Justin Bifore, and Nick Deschino of Camp Quinnipiac plunged together, this being Deschino’s first time, in honor of teenage programming.

“The fact that we’re jumping for sending kids to camp blocks out the cold. Doing it for a good cause makes it worth it,” said Severino. “But if you want the real truth, you get numb real quick.”

Bifore said you don’t mentally prepare for the drop. You just do it.

“We want to send kids to camp and we pride ourselves on building teen self-esteem,” said Severino, also noting the three were camp staff members and that camp registration was soon opening. “It’s a safe place where they can be themselves.”

“It means the world, seeing smiles on their faces,” said Bifore of the Camp Quinnipiac campers.

Amy Lasbury, a kindergarten teacher at Kelley Elementary School, and Will Gorske, Kelley Elementary School PTA President also said they were excited about the plunge, if not a bit anxious.

“This is my first year doing it so I’m a little apprehensive, but it’s for a good cause to send kids to camp,” said Gorske.

“Southington is a wonderful community,” said Lasbury. “I swear whenever there is a need, Southington shows up.”

When asked if she had any tips for preparing for the plunge, she said,” There is no preparation. You just gotta do it.”