Northfielders Raise Money for Special Olympics Minnesota Through Polar Bear Plunge

There's nothing like jumping through a hole in the ice to raise money.

Just ask Kylie Faust, a Northfielder who this month is participating in her third Polar Bear Plunge to raise money for Special Olympics Minnesota.

"I want them to know I support them 100 percent and what better way to show them than to jump into a frozen lake?" Faust said.

Faust is campaigning for the Plunge with friends, who are collectively known as "Ice Ice Vanilla Ice." Traditionally, groups wear outlandish costumes for the Polar Bear Plunge. Faust's team will don '90s-inspired clothing for its Plunge, which is scheduled for Feb. 23 in Burnsville. 

"To us the Polar Plunge is about helping out our community Special Olympic athletes," Faust said. "I'm extremely lucky to work with a lot of our hometown athletes at LKQ Viking Auto Salvage daily."

To raise money for the Polar Bear Plunge, Faust reaches out to anyone and everyone she knows, sending emails, posting on Facebook and baking sweets to sell at work.

As of Wednesday, Faust has raised $363. If she raises more than $500 this year, she pledges to do the Super Plunge in 2014, which is a challenge to participate in 24 plunges in a 24-hour period. She also wants to try to raise $3,000 next year and document her efforts.

Faust also participates in an annual bowling fundraiser for Special Olympics Minnesota at Jesse James Lanes.

If you're interested in donating to Faust, you can visit her Polar Bear Plunge page. As a team, Ice Ice Vanilla Ice has raised $606 on its way to its $850 goal.

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