Lisa's Polar Plunge...

One dip too many?

As polar plunges proliferate, organizers fear the escalating number of events will hurt fund-raising. At left, the Lobster Dip at Old Orchard Beach in Maine.

The shock of plunging into frigid water, which the L Street Brownies have endured and enjoyed for 105 consecutive New Year's Days, has failed to toss cold water on a toe-numbing lark that used to be relegated to the hardy or foolhardy few.

Now, some organizers wonder whether an escalating number of polar plunges will hurt fund-raising for those charities that embraced this big chill long before its popularity heated up.

Mainers scheduled at least nine plunges this winter, including three on New Year's Day and one Jan. 2. Rhode Island had at least 10 on New Year's Day. And Massachusetts, among its year-opening activities, hosted the granddaddy of them all in South Boston, plus smaller plunges in Swampscott, Bourne, and Fairhaven.

"My feeling is there are enough dippers to go around, but there may not be enough pledgers to go around," said Phil Geelhoed, president of Special Olympics Maine, which hosted its 21st annual Lobster Dip on New Year's Day in Old Orchard Beach.

The dip in 9-degree temperatures attracted more than 300 entrants, Geelhoed said, and set a new revenue record of just under $52,000 for the oldest winter plunge in Maine. The organization expanded its advertising this time to draw participants, who each raised a minimum of $100 in pledges.

On Jan. 2, a smaller crew raced, or tiptoed, into the water off East End Beach in Portland, where the Natural Resources Council of Maine held its first plunge to raise awareness and money for the fight against global warming.

Boston Globe - Full Story

Herald readers play Santa

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: Amanda Conway and her son, Jack, 11, brought gifts to Jose Lacen yesterday to replace the ones that were stolen from his apartment Friday.

Big-hearted Herald readers are showing Jose Lacen it’s a wonderful life, but the handicapped man whose Roslindale apartment was ransacked by a depraved thief says all he really wants for Christmas is a friend.

“Someone to spend time with me - that would be a great gift. That’s all I want,” Lacen, 39, said yesterday after scores of deputized Santa Clauses from as far away as Tennessee and Wisconsin offered to replace the TV, DVD player, cash and presents for his two daughters stolen from him Friday while he was at a doctor’s appointment.

Lacen, a former jet fueler at Logan International Airport, has been dependent on a wheelchair since a life-threatening illness forced him into a month-long coma in 2000. He said conversation helps him with his speech therapy. Either by inconvenience or pang of conscience, whoever ripped him off mercifully left behind his computer.

“My company is my TV and computer,” said Lacen, a Patriots [team stats] and pro wrestling fan whose 10- and 18-year-old daughters live in Florida and North Carolina.

Some readers down on their own luck still wanted to send Lacen a Christmas card.

Amanda Conway of East Boston was especially touched by Lacen’s story. Her brother has Down syndrome.

“To me, anybody that’s disabled is more vulnerable,” Conway said. “It just hit me hard. It just made me angry. I’m far from rich, but I’d rather do something for somebody, and I hope I’m not the only person.”

She wasn’t. Not by a long shot.

Patrick Lombard, owner of West Cork Auto in Jamaica Plain, said, “I’ve been fortunate. I have a good business, nice kids. My life is good and I see this guy has nothing.

“You can’t help everybody,” Lombard said, “but this guy, I just felt I had to. He has two kids; I have three kids. Plus, he’s a Pats fan like I am. He’s got to have his TV back for Sunday.”

Stephanie McGowan of Foxboro, who is raising a child with autism, took one look at Lacen’s forlorn face on the front page of yesterday’s Herald and knew reaching out “was the right thing to do.”

“Something about him just compelled me to want to do something,” she said.

Timothy Sullivan of De Pere, Wisc., owner of Hidden Gems Cottages, grew up in Massachusetts.

“It just kind of broke my heart a little bit,” Sullivan said of Lacen’s plight. “Whether you’re somebody who needs the money or not, you just don’t steal from somebody like that. The poor guy’s in a wheelchair. There’s no excuse.”

Despite all he’s overcome, Lacen said, “I will always believe in people.

“You always find bad in life, but not everybody is the same. That I know for sure.”

Boston Herald

Toy shortage a nightmare before Christmas

More than a quarter million toys are needed to avert a blue Christmas for needy children this year, as the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program in Boston tries to stave off a crisis of soaring requests for help amid plummeting donations.

“We still have about 300,000 (toy requests for) children to help and we probably only helped about 5,000,” said Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Michael Kwiecinski, whose South Boston warehouse is nearly empty just two months into the toy drive.

“Because of the economy, more families are in need, but unfortunately that’s influencing what people donate.”

Boston.Com - Full Story

Texas police turn traffic tickets into toy drive

SANSOM PARK, Texas - Some police officers in a Texas suburb are playing Santa Claus with naughty drivers.

For the next month, some motorists pulled over in Sansom Park will be given a "ticket for tots" instead of a formal citation. Drivers are then asked to drop off a $10 toy at the police station.

"This is a low-income community. A lot of the kids are not going to have a Christmas at all," Martinez says.

While it’s not mandatory to donate a toy, police think forgoing writing motorists a ticket could lead people to return the kindness.

Officers have discretion over who gets issued a citation or "ticket for tots" depending on the violation.

Police point out that the average traffic ticket in the Fort Worth suburb costs about $165.

Boston Herald

Thanksgiving Dinner - Thursday, November 27th 1-6PM

Thanksgiving Dinner - Everyone is Invited

Thursday, Nov 27 1:00p to 6:00p
at First Congregational Church, Revere, MA
The Second Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be hosted this year by the First Congregational Church, 230 Beach St, Revere.


Price: Free
Phone: (781) 321-6948
Age Suitability: All Ages

2008 Red Sox Hall of Fame Induction Gala

Reserve your spot today! Simply fill out the form on the website or call 617-226-6440. (click here to go to website)

Individual tickets are $350 per person. For more information about corporate sponsorships, please contact Gena Borson at 617-226-6440.