Event Spotlight: St. James Polar Bear Club Dive

Sunday's weather will be a balmy forty degrees when the St. James Plar Bear Club jumps into the Long Island Sound to benefit juvenile diabetes.

Reza Kolahifar, organizer of the event, said it is the club’s fourth year braving the arctic waters.

“It’s five years for me. The very first year I was by myself, so I couldn’t really consider it a club,” said Kolahifar. “Then I got the idea to invite some others and we started to raise money for juvenile diabetes.”

Kolahifar's nine-year-old niece was diagnosed with the disease about five years ago.

Last year’s dive was a frigid six degrees and was the coldest day of the year for Long Island.

“We are looking at the weather everyday, forty degrees is warm, it’s a relative term,” said Kolahifar.

The event is growing in numbers. Kolahifar said last year they had about 47 participants. This year he is expecting about 70.

The dive takes place on Sunday morning at 10 at Long Beach in Nissequogue.

For those who prefer a cold beer to a cold swim, you can help the cause by heading down to Napper Tandy’s in Smithtown on Friday night where a portion of the cover charge will go toward their charity. The event happens from 7-10 p.m.