Above: How cold was Lake Superior on this day? Cold enough to have ice chunks floating in the bay. Cold enough to take Peter Lucken (left), Megan Ruebbelke and Kris Hoffman’s breath away! That’s how cold the water was at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18 as I.S.D. 166 school teachers Lucken, Rubbelke and high school counselor Kris Hoffman made a practice run to get ready for the “Nordic Dunk” fundraiser that will be held May 1 at the same Lake Superior Trading Post beach location. Left: Lucken and Rubbelke high five while Hoffman thinks about how happy he is to be alive.
The Cook County Unified Club, a chapter of Special Olympics Minnesota, is going to conduct a fundraising event on May 1.
Details are still sketchy, but the evening will be similar to a polar plunge. However, said event coordinator Kris Hoffman, “We are currently trying to think of a title to more perfectly encapsulate our club’s goals and our rugged North Woods way of life.”
After several days of serious deliberations the group came up with the name “Nordic Dunk.”
“It won’t be so much a plunge but a quick dunk,” added Hoffman about the event scheduled May 9 at 4 p.m. at the Lake Superior Trading Post.
Long story short, said Hoffman, who is the high school counselor at I.S.D. 166, “We are hoping to raise a few hundred dollars to repair some of our DAPE (Developmentally Adapted Physical Education) equipment that some of our students with special needs use for their Phy Ed classes. Some equipment has ripped seats and is definitely still useable, but hasn’t seen refurbishments in a few years.”
Part of this effort is also aimed at starting a new form of DAPE next year, said Hoffman, “where we will pair our students with special needs with our more mainstream students to help work on more social development and increased physical functioning.”
The new effort will be called Unified Fitness and Wellness (UFAW).
“Our club is behind this endeavor,” Hoffman said, “so ensuring that our students have what they need to be successful is really what this whole fundraising opportunity boils down to.”
So far those taking part in the Nordic Dunk are Grand Marais mayor Jay Arrowsmith- Decoux, principal Mitch Dorr, Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen, teachers Megan Rubbelke and Peter Lucken, and Kris Hoffman, and possibly others who will join them.
Each of the folks who has committed to taking the plunge will earn money by accepting pledges.
“Also, as another way of collecting money here in school, we are going to be doing a classroom competition for a surprise party,” said Hoffman. “So the classroom that raises the most money will be getting a fully funded party for their class.”
If you would like to make a donation large or small, contact Kris Hoffman at his email address khoffman@isd166.org
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