MINNEAPOLIS – Dec. 15, 2017 -- Special Olympics Minnesota, in partnership with the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee (MNSBHC), announced today a unique opportunity for residents, businesses, sports figures, celebrities and visitors to participate in “The Bold North” celebration during the festival leading up the big game – a Polar Plunge during Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon.

Special Olympics Minnesota’s signature winter event, the Polar Plunge, showcases participants jumping into a body of water and raising funds that support more than 8,200 individuals with intellectual disabilities across the state.

On Tuesday, January 30, the “Polar Plunge” comes to downtown Minneapolis at the Verizon Up Stage at Ice Mountain, located on Nicollet Mall at 8th Street.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Super Bowl Host Committee and offer a Polar Plunge experience right in the middle of the excitement,” said Dave Dorn, the President and CEO of Special Olympics Minnesota. “Instead of trekking to one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, participants are invited to plunge into an icy pond that we will create on the streets of downtown Minneapolis exclusively for this event.”

“Special Olympics Minnesota hosting a Bold North Polar Plunge is in line with the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee goals to celebrate winter in Minnesota and leave a lasting legacy,” said Maureen Bausch, CEO for the MNSBHC. “We want to make sure that every person in Minnesota builds lifelong healthy habits, and the Special Olympics and their enthusiastic supporters exemplify making this objective happen.”

The NFL and Special Olympics Minnesota will host a Unified Flag Football game prior to the Polar Plunge on Tuesday. The NFL and Special Olympics have teamed to provide opportunities to athletes of all abilities to ‘PLAY 60’ through the expansion of Unified Special Olympics Flag Football. NFL PLAY 60 is the league's youth health and wellness platform encouraging kids to get active for 60 minutes a day.

There will be numerous plunges at the Verizon Up Stage at Ice Mountain throughout the day -- including sports figures, media members, celebrities, and corporate teams. A full schedule of events will be published.

For the general public, only 200 spaces are available. To reserve a slot on this special plunge, candidates must register on line at www.plungemn.org by January 5, and raise at least $150. Special incentive gift packages are available based on the amount a candidate raises (see below).

ABOUT THE POLAR PLUNGE:

The first Polar Plunge (formerly Polar Bear Plunge) took place at Como Lake in St. Paul. Since then, the Plunge has expanded to now more than 20 locations across Minnesota, growing exponentially more successful each year raising funds for Special Olympics Minnesota. Polar Plunge events are organized by Minnesota law enforcement as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR), the largest grassroots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle for Special Olympics in the world.

ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA:

Special Olympics Minnesota offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round sports training and competition. Through Special Olympics’ athletic, health and leadership programs, people with intellectual disabilities transform themselves, their communities and the world.

INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPANTS:

$150 is the base “participant package:” commemorative Polar Plunge at Super Bowl LIVE long-sleeved shirt, shorts, towel and digital Polar Plunge photo;
$300 is the participant package and a quarter-zip jacket;
$500 is the participant package and a sweatshirt;
$750 is the participant package and a wind jacket;
$1,000 is the participant package and a backpack;
$1,500 is the participant package and a puffer jacket; and
$3,000 includes the participant package and all inventive gifts
ABOUT SUPER BOWL LIVE PRESENTED BY VERIZON:

Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis will be the site of an epic 10-day fan festival, free and open to the public, leading up to Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018. Super Bowl LIVE presented by Verizon will feature something for everyone, including free live concerts, national broadcast activations, food and fun, with nods to winter that showcase Minnesota's authentic, Bold North brand.

About NFL PLAY 60:

For a decade, NFL PLAY 60 has brought together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations to increase physical activity among youth. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $350 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its teams have constructed more than 250 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and integrated programs into 73,000 schools since the campaign launched. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFL.com/PLAY60.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLAR PLUNGE AT SUPER BOWL LIVE:

Contact Megan Powell at megan.powell@somn.org