‘Water for water’: Oakville’s polar bear dip fundraises for global clean water

Polar bear swims take place across the world on Jan. 1 and Oakville’s annual Courage Polar Bear Dip is the biggest fundraiser of its kind in Canada.

In partnership with World Vision Canada, this year’s donations will be dedicated to supporting clean water programs in Ghana and Honduras.

“People there don’t have it as good as we do here. So water for water. We’re jumping in the water to get people water and it’s amazing,” says Scott Mills

The initiative was kickstarted by two brothers, Trent and Todd Courage, all because of a scolding by their mother.

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“It started 41-years-ago when my brother and I were sitting on the couch, with cobwebs from New Years Eve and she asked us to do a few things and we said ‘not now,’ and she goes ‘you got to get out and refresh yourself. Go jump in the lake.’ So we did. Five of us went in that day, she came in with us, and when we came out we felt fantastic,” says Todd Courage.

“So, the next year we did it again and it just kept snowballing from there.”

The event kicks off on Thursday at Coronation Park in Oakville.

There is parking in the area but it fills quickly, so anyone looking to attend can take advantage of the free shuttle that will make rounds from the South Oakville Centre starting at 12:15 p.m.

If you’re still looking to participate, registrations are still open online.

But those personally unable to take the plunge can always sponsor participants or cheer them on from the sidelines.

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Tips from veteran participant, Scott Mills:
a) Wear a warm pair of boots with thick, dry socks.
b) Bring a pair of shoes to wear into the water; your feet are the first thing to get cold and very fast, so it’s important to have a good grip underwater (No flipflops). Once you’re out of the water, dry your feet and return them to the aforementioned warm boots and thick socks
c) Bring two toques — one to wear when going into the water and another to wear afterwards because the first one is likely to get wet.
d) Make sure to stay warm until the moment you head into the water.
e) But when heading into the water, wear as little as possible (bathing suit recommended) because excess fabric can weigh you down and keep you cold longer
f) Bring a towel — for obvious reasons

Logistics:
a) There is a free shuttle operating courtesy of Attridge Transportation operating on a loop starting at 12:15 p.m. — connects South Oakville Centre and Coronation Park
b) There are gendered warming tents available at the park for those who take a dip but you have to walk across the grass to get there, which is where the towel comes in handy.