Dear Editor:

Jan. 21, 2019 — what a day! The seventeenth annual Boothbay Region YMCA Penguin Plunge was held at the Murray Hill Boat Launch in East Boothbay, and two dozen hearty souls braved the chilly ocean waters to raise funds for free swim lessons to the second grade classrooms on the peninsula.

Each year the Penguin Plunge committee recognizes persons who are making a difference in our community to help sponsor the event. This year’s very deserving recipients were Ted and Betty Repa. With the help of their family and the community, the Repa’s met their target goal of $2,000. It will go down as a new record for both participation and donations, as the final raised amount exceeded over $2,200!

The Penguin Plunge Committee would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported this event. These folks include our major sponsor, the Knickerbocker Group, as well as the Boothbay Fire Department, the Boothbay Region Ambulance Service and Boothbay Region TV.

The Penguin Plunge water bottles will arrive at the Y soon and can be picked up by the registered participants in the aquatics office.

Mark your calendars for Jan. 1, 2020 at the Murray Hill Boat Launch for next year’s plunge, starting at 11 a.m.

Larry Brown and Daniel Parrott

Co-directors Penguin Plunge