Plunge postponed, but prized penguin still picked

BONNERS FERRY — When Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Law Enforcement Torch Run Board recently decided to hold off on rescheduling the annual Penguin Plunge, local officials quickly went to work on a “Plan B.”

Each year, prior to the plunge, little floating penguins — each marked with a number are sold in a 50/50 drawing — are sold by members of the local Distinguished Young Woman program at Super 1 Foods prior to the scheduled Penguin Plunge in March. The penguins are then placed in the water with one penguin “plucked” as the winner, Bonner County Sheriff Dave Kramer said. The person with the winning number receives 50 percent of the funds from the sale of the penguins.

When the March event had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the penguins were set aside in case the event could be rescheduled for the fall, Kramer said.

“Once the decision was made to not have a Penguin Plunge this year, we wanted to get the floating penguins into the water and select the winner,” Kramer said.

So, on July 9, Kramer dumped the bag of floating penguins into the city pool under the watchful eyes of the city lifeguards — one of whom swam under the floating penguins with her eyes closed and grabbed the winning penguin out of the group. The number on the bottom of the Penguin was 49 making Heather Gemmrig of Bonners Ferry the lucky winner of the 50/50 drawing.

While the plunge was canceled for 2020, Kramer said the Special Olympics Idaho and the Idaho Law Enforcement Torch Run Board is looking forward to seeing everyone next year.

“The Plunge will be back next year in late February or early March with all of the fun and festivities to raise funds to support Special Olympics Idaho athletes,” he said.

If anyone would like to make a donation to Special Olympics Idaho to benefit an athlete, they can still send in a donation to SOI at 199 E. 52nd St. Suite A, Garden City, ID 83714.