RYE, NY (September 14, 2025) — The Curry Automotive Westchester Polar Plunge is set for Saturday, Nov. 8, at 10 a.m. at Playland Beach, where hundreds of local students, businesses and organizations will take a chilly dip into the Long Island Sound to support more than 48,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across New York State.
Last year, the event drew 1,300 participants and over 1,000 spectators. Organizers with Special Olympics New York aim to raise $275,000 this year while celebrating inclusion, community pride and the power of sport.
Highlights include the Cool School Challenge, where local schools compete for a trophy, pizza party, scholarships and SAT/ACT prep courses. Iona Prep has participated since 2008 and has raised over $500,000 for Special Olympics New York.
The College Cool School Challenge pits area colleges against each other, with the winning team earning a private party section of the beach. Fundraising incentives feature custom team banners, sweatshirts, bags and tickets to the Westchester Knicks home opener.
On-site activities will offer game tents, prizes, free breakfast sandwiches courtesy of Westchester Chick-fil-A and free drinks from Liberty Coca-Cola.
Special Olympics New York provides year-round sports training and competition in Olympic-style sports for more than 48,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities across the state. The organization’s mission is to offer opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and share gifts and skills with their families, other athletes, and the community.
To sign up a team or for more details, visit www.PolarPlungeNY.org/Westchester.
Voters can support Special Olympics New York daily through Sept. 19 in the 2025 Fan Favorite Imagine Award poll sponsored by Nerds That Care at https://woobox.com/w8ajw8. An email address is required to vote and ensure uniqueness, but it will not be saved or used to contact participants.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
