COOL SCHOOL SURVIVAL KIT For Middle Schools and High Schools Everything your team needs to make a splash at the 2014 Rolla Polar Plunge
What is the Polar Plunge? This cool event is like no other! The Plunge is a unique opportunity for individuals, teams and organizations to support local Special Olympics athletes by running into the frigid winter waters of Missouri! Proceeds go directly to supporting the year-round sports training and athletic competition for more than 16,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics Missouri. This is the first year for the Plunge in Rolla. The Details: What: 2014 Polar Plunge - Rolla When: February 15th, 2014 Where: Kearse s Quarry, Rolla (Home of the Fugitive Run; Mud Obstacle Course) Who: Participants in the Polar Plunge must be over the age of 10, and anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Students under 18 must have a signed consent form from a parent or guardian. How: Plungers who raise the minimum in donations ($75) will run into the icy waters at Kearse s Quarry in support of Special Olympics athletes. Participants can wear anything but a wetsuit, although shoes and at least a swimsuit are required.
COOL SCHOOL COMPETITION The Cool School competition is a section of the Polar Plunge specifically for students in local Universities, high schools, junior high and middle schools! This packet is specifically for Middle Schools and High Schools. Contact: Dana Thielemann at dltwd5@mst. edu if you want the college/university packet. Students should join their school s team once the team has been created by your Stucco advisor, councelor or teacher. The team of plungers will compete against other schools teams for top fundriaising braggin rights as well as the prize for the best costumes. The school team that raises the most money by the Plunge date (February 15th) will be anointed the 2014 Cool School (MS/HS Division) and will receive the honorary engraved traveling trophy. The winning team will also receive prizes, listed on the following page.
REGISTRATION It s easy to sign up! You can register your Polar Plunge team with a click of the mouse at www.somo.org/plunge. Here, you can create your own team webpage. You can also add pictures and manage your team s donations from your own computer. Once a team name is registered, it is easy for anyone else to join the team at any time. Teams can be made up of two or more people from your specific school. The Polar Plunge is made up of teams of different shapes and sizes ranging from corporate teams, to college and high school teams, to groups of families and friends. To compete for the Cool School trophy, you will need to create ONE school team and have every plunger from your school join that team. Your team name must include your school name so everyone can find it easily and to qualify for Cool School prizes. Shirt sizes are guaranteed for people who are signed up and who turn in $75 by event day. Also, personalized pre-registration can be arranged. PRIZES Freezin for a Reason has its rewards! Not only are you helping Special Olympics Missouri athletes, but you can also earn some cool rewards for your team! You will have the change to win the travelling trophy and braggin s rights. **Team totals will be tallied after the event for accuracy. Online donations, cash, checks will all count toward your team total. All team members MUST use the exact same team name and MUST list team name on website and on all donation sheets and registration forms. Any team members who fail to do so will NOT count toward team total. The school that raises the most amount of money by February 15th will be crowned the 2014 Cool School (MS/HS Division)! This team will receive the Cool School trophy to proudly display in their school. We can even present it to the school at a school assembly if desired. The winning team will also be featured in the post plunge newsletter, which will go out to all plungers. The winning team may choose from the following prizes: Matinée movie passes Pizza Party Bowling passes Other prize options can be negotiated if there is anything specific your team would like to do. Plungers are also eligible for individual fundraising incentive items. These can be found at www.somo.org/plunge. Then click on Rolla - and check them out. Non-MASC Member school prize opportunity: if you are not a member of the SO Central District and you bring 10 plungers who meet the minimum to plunge, we will pay your $50 membership to join the District.
FORMING YOUR TEAM Follow these tips and guidelines to build the best team to represent your school or organization in competition to be the 2014 Cool School! Designate a Team Captain Role of a Team Captain: The team captain serves as liaison between the team and the Plunge. Responsibilities of the team captain include: Building the team! Each person to plunge has to raise $75 by event day. This can be raised online or brought with you. Each person registers him or herself once you create the team. Setting a fundraising goal for the team - The team s webpage will reflect the total of all your individual goals (ex. If you have 10 members with goals of $100 each, your team goal will become $1000). Figure out how much your team wants to raise and set your individual goals accordingly. Some might have higher ambitions than others because of individual incentive prizes, so your team goal could grow! Providing team members with all necessary fundraising tools and information (contained in this packet) Organizing team fundraising events Staying connected with the team through personal, phone, e-mail, etc. Keep all members up-to-date on Plunge details and fundraising progress. Motivating and coaching the team to success. This can be done by generating buzz for your team, as well as using different forms of publicity including events, posters and social networking. Building your team It s important to start early in building a successful Cool School team. Start by registering your new team online at www.somo.org/plunge. Select the Rollla Plunge site for Feb. 15, 2014. Generate buzz for your cause by talking to friends and peers and encouraging them to join. Also have your friends tell their friends, and so on, to create a widespread knowledge of the team s plans. Post fliers, make announcements over the PA and bring the issue up in meetings or at school events to encourage fellow classmates to join. Also, once you have registered online as the team captain, you can send out e-mails for recruitment. Give potential team members a Polar Plunge Team Card to remind them of the event and provide them with the information on how to join or learn more about the Plunge. See fundraising page for sample team cards. Direct potential team members to register online. As members join your team, you will see them listed on your team s webpage. You will also be able to see how each team member is doing raising donations. Tips for Team Success Have a team kickoff party to get things going (contact Dana Thielemann, our Cool School intern to inquire about special appearance from Shiver, the Polar Plunge mascot!). Organize team activities and events by delegating responsibilities among members and creating a schedule/calendar. Communicate regularly! Use personal, phone, e-mail, social networks or other means to stay in constant contact with all team members. Hold regular team meetings as well. Motivate and excite your team for the Plunge and fundraising prospects! One way of creating team spirit is to develop a team theme, then use it to create promotional material and costumes for the Plunge. Hold a wrap-up party after the event to discuss team performance and find out what could be improved. Also, reminisce about the great times had along the way and pass out any earned incentives.
TAKING THE PLUNGE PRE-PLUNGE Once your team is set and everyone has raised the required donations, it s time to plan for the Plunge itself. Attend a pre-registration event A pre-registration event will save you from waiting in any lines on the day of the Plunge. Pre-registration dates and locations will be listed on the Plunge website. Only one team member needs to attend the Pre-registration event to check-in your team, but they must bring each team member s registration form, donations, and signed release of liability waiver (Team members under the age of 18 must have parent/guardian sign this waiver, which is included in this packet and can be downloaded from the website). Or we can come to you! By registering for Cool Schools you are eligible for personalized pre-registration if desired, but this depends on the size of your team. We will work with you to arrange this. Prepare what to bring Any additional donations and/or missing waiver forms. Duffle bag or backpack to store dry clothes and other personal belongings. Also bring a plastic bag to put your wet clothing in after you take the plunge! Towel, plunging shoes, extra pair of dry shoes and any warm clothing you may need for when you are waiting to or have finished plunging. A disposable waterproof camera is a great way to capture the memories of your team s plunge! We encourage you to bring anything or anyone that could help promote your specific school s superiority. Bring cheerleaders, the band or supporting teachers/staff. Banners, signs and other display items are also a key way to show school pride. Costumes - Pick a theme for your team and dress the part! This year there will be a Mardi Gras theme for the Plunge, so keep that in mind when selecting a costume! Part of the fun of the Polar Plunge is seeing all the crazy costumes people come up with! Your team can come up with your own theme, costume, T-shirts or any other unique idea to show your polar pride! Not only will your team be recognized as a standout group at the Plunge, but you could take home the traditional Golden Plunger award! *The Golden Plungers are given to the best costumes in team, individual and school categories. Visit the Plunge website for complete contest details and past costume pictures. THE PLUNGE Upon arriving at the Plunge, visit the Registration Tent (look for the school lines specially for school sign-ins) to turn in any additional funds and/or waiver forms. If you have all monies and paperwork turned in, you can just enjoy the atmosphere of the plunge, take pictures, etc. until it is time to line up. Watch the ROlla Plunge landing page for updates on times, shuttle options, parking details, etc. Please allow about 45 minutes for parking, turning in an outstanding money/paperwork, and parade lineup. As the Plunge time approaches, your team will be directed to the Parade of Plungers leading to the beach. Strut your stuff and show your team s greatness during the parade! Once it reaches your plunge time, it s up to you to muster your bravery and enter the freezing waters!
FUNDRAISING TIPS FOR RAISING MONEY 1) Use the Online Fundraising Tool which allows you send out e-mails to family and friends asking for a donation! Each donation that is made shows up instantly on your Polar Plunge webpage! *Plungers report a 43% increase per donation when the donation is made online versus by cash or check. 2) Request a set of Paper Polar Bear Icons from your local Special Olympics Missouri office (call 1-800-846-2682). The paper polar bears are FREE to our plungers and can be a great tool to help you increase your donations. You can request sets of 25, 50 or 100 polar bears which you can take to local businesses and ask them to sell them for $1.00 on your behalf. Inform the business that all proceeds will be donated to Special Olympics Missouri. The money raised by each of the businesses will be collected by you and turned in at registration. 3) Plunger Favorite - Mail a fundraising letter to your friends, family and neighbors with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Be sure to put a deadline for them to send you their donation (10 days is good time frame). Variation of the same send out a message on Facebook to all your friends and family with a link to your online fundraising page. 4) Ask your employer support you! Have an after school job? Ask your company if they would consider matching the money you raise for the Polar Plunge. 5) Use the Plunge Cards. You can print and personalize business cards from the Polar Plunge website. The business card can be given out to potential donors as a reminder to visit your personal fundraising page and make a donation. (Team Card Example) YOU PLEDGE AND I LL PLUNGE! I have decided to be Freezin for a Reason and will be taking the Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Missouri on Saturday, February 16, 2010 Columbia, MO - Stephen s Lake Please help me reach my goal by making a donation to me on my Polar Plunge webpage. Go to: www.somo.org/lozplunge Click on Find Other Polar Bears and search for my name:
FUNDRAISING IDEAS Spread the Word! People can t donate if they don t know you re plunging! Use the following methods, and any other creative ways you can think of, to generate buzz about your team s Cool School participation. Your friends, classmates and teachers will want to help bring the Cool School trophy home to your school! *With school permission, post fliers, posters, sign-ups and all kinds of eye-catching material around your school (hallways, cafeteria, lockers). *Post similar promotional material around your neighborhood and (with permission) place of work. *Promote your team through your school paper, radio station, etc. Also, see if local news outlets will do a story about your team s quest to be the 2014 Cool School. *Use online media such as Facebook to create fan pages. Explain what you re doing, why you re doing it, and ask for donations. You can provide the link to your Plunge webpage for fans to make donations with a simple click of the mouse! *Ask everyone you know for donations! This includes a wide net of people, including friends of friends, classmates, teachers and local businesses or organizations. An effective way to create buzz about your team while raising money is by hosting a fundraising event. A few event ideas that could help you towards the Cool School trophy are listed below The Prime Parking Spot Get permission to set aside one or two of the school s prime parking spots. Sell the parking spots at $10 per week or auction them off week-by-week to the highest bidder and then donate the proceeds. Quarter Race Creat challenges among grades, clubs, or teams to donate their spare change in a provided donating jar for an entire month. For every dollar that is raised hang up a Polar Plunge Polar Bear to see which group is winning. Write an article in the school paper about the challenge and provide updates of the progress and leading group. Consider providing a prize for the winner. Student Silent Auction Have all students, or just memebers of your Plunge team, each put together a prize basket. Items could be donated from local businesses or personally put together. Promote the auction in the month before and hold the auction in a big room (i.e. Gym). Indicate a starting bid on each sheet then designate an amount of time for people to place their bids, two hours is usually enough. Turkey Bowling Set up a bowling lane in your cafeteria and have students bowl a frozen turkey. Line the floor with heavy plastic or tarp and grease it down. Have students and staff donate $1 to bowl or even set up a tournament. Consider a price for the tournament winner. Other event ideas include bake sales, car washers, raffles, a 5k run, etc. Know your audience! Use your creativity to tailor an event to what your fellow student, or whomever you target, will be interested in. If you need more ideas or have any questions please contact Susan Stegeman at 1-800- 846-2682.
ROLLA WAIVER Must be signed by all plungers under 18 & their legal guardian. Plungers 18 and older agree to the waiver as a part of the online registration process. In consideration of participating in the Special Olympics Missouri Polar Plunge ( Activity ), I represent that I understand the nature of Activity and that I and/or my minor child am qualified, in good health, and in proper physical condition to participate in such Activity. I acknowledge that if I and/or my minor child believe event conditions are unsafe, I and/or my minor child will immediately discontinue participation in the Activity. I fully understand that Activity involve risks of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis and death, which may be caused by my own actions, or inactions, those of others participating in the event, the conditions in which the event takes place, or the negligence of the releasees named below; and that there may be other risks either not known to me or not readily foreseeable at this time; and I fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages I and/or my minor child incur as a result of my and/or my minor child s participation in the Activity. I hereby release, discharge, and covenant not to sue Special Olympics, Inc., Special Olympics Missouri, its respective administrators, directors, agents, officers, volunteers, and employees, other participants, any sponsors, advertisers, and, if applicable, owners and lessors of premises on which the Activity takes place, (each considered one of the RELEASEES herein) from all liability, claims, demands, losses, or damages on my account caused or alleged to be caused in whole or in part by the negligence of the releasees or otherwise, including negligent rescue operations; and I further agree that if, despite this release, waiver of liability, and assumption of risk I, or anyone on my and/or my minor child s behalf, makes a claim against any of the Releasees, I will indemnify, save, and hold harmless each of the releasees from any loss, liability, damage, or cost which any may incur as the result of such claim. I grant Special Olympics Missouri permission to use my likeness, voice, and words in television, radio, file or in any form to promote activities of Special Olympics Missouri. I have read this RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY, ASSUMPTION OF RISK, AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, AND PARENTAL CONSENT AGREEMENT, understand that I have given up substantial rights by signing it and have signed it freely and without any inducement or assurance of any nature and intend it be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect. Participant Name (Printed) Parent/Guardian Name (Printed) Participant Signature Parent / Guardian Signature Completed form must be presented at registration in order to participate.