Many thanks to Sam Pearson and Brian Auman for diving in for Walk It! Bike It! Lewisburg.  The pledge drive raised money towards the River Road Holiday event, to be held on April 23, as well as other WIBI projects.  You can still contribute as a way of saying thank you to Sam and Brian, either by check made out to Lewisburg Neighborhoods Corporation with WIBI Plunge in the subject line and mailed to LNC, PO Box 298, Lewisburg, PA  17837, or by credit card at PayPal. 

The plunge was also the debut of Louise B. Light, one of WIBI's mascots, thanks to Sue Auman!  Brian's helmet was adorned with both the WIBI mascots -- Louise and Louie -- which were designed by Jackie and Billy Kelly and assembled by Rachel Martine for this event.

Despite the cold temperatures in (38 degrees F) and out of (28 degrees F) the river, Sam and Brian joined other hardy folks in dunking into the Susquehanna River off of the St. George boat ramp.

Both Sam and Brian found their extremities were most affected by the cold temps, and both said it was REALLY COLD.  For Sam, the muddy river bottom, which almost claimed her flip-flops, proved an additional challenge (she points out that flip-flops are not appropriate plunging or river cleanup wear; she will testify to this through personal experience). Despite Brian's concerns about ice, he only felt frozen.  As Sam said, he "came out as a conquering hero, emerging with his bike overhead."

This yearly endurance feat is part of the Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival and attracts Bucknell University students and people from around the valley who want to have the adrenaline rush of dunking themselves in cold water.  This local exemplar of extreme sport is run by the Bucknell Office of Civic Engagement as a fundraiser for the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership which receives all the entry fees.  In addition, many groups of plungers do another layer of fundraising for a variety of different groups on top of that, by getting sponsors and pledges.  There were groups raising money for the RiverWoods Benevolent Care Fund and for different anti-cancer charities.   Thanks again to our stalwart WIBI plungers, Sam and Brian!  Do you think they'll try it again next year?  How about you?