3rd Annual Polar Bear Swim

2004

This year we will charge a $20. cover for all Polar Bear Swimmers. If you sign up before December 15 we guarantee a tee shirt, but late or day of swim sign-ups may not be guaranteed a shirt. We will have plenty of food and drink to enjoy around a hot fire in the pavilion at the Recreation Park. Come and join the craziness!

For a registration form, go to our main page and click on "Registration Form" near the top of the page, fill out your info, circle the event and send in the proper amount to: GSMTC 44 Weeping Willow Ln Hayesville NC 28904

This years event will be held at the Clay County Recreation Park, Hayesville, NC

There are signs on Hwy 64, NC that say Clay County Rec. Park. If your coming in from the Hiawassee Ga side, turn on Myers Chapel Rd, where Chatuge Shores Golf Course is located then go 1 mile, the rec. park is on the right.

We have some odd rules for this swim. For the most part, Polar Bear swims consist of a bunch of nuts jumping in the water then running back out. For us, it consisted of a bunch of nuts jumping in, swimming a 50 yard swim, then getting out ASAP. That will be the rule for most of the swimmers, but for some of the swimmers it will turn into a waiting game. There will be a 5 minute cut off time for the swimmers to get out of the water. The swimmers that stay in for the full 5 minutes will then have a race to get out. We have certificates for everyone, but for the people that could last 5 minutes, we had a special Triathlon Club Medal for their efforts.

We will also have a jump in and run out group for this year; so if taking a swim is just to crazy and you just want to take the plunge, come ahead and join us.

These 3 men lasted a full 5 minutes, then it was a rush for the finish line. The girls didn't do the whole 5 minutes, but did last as long as they could.

2003 Swimmers: Stayed in for the full 5 minute limit Ken Adams: Jacksonville Fl Jack Briggs: Winter Park Fl Cory Hargett: Warne NC Megan Galloway: Murphy NC

2003 Swimmers: IN & OUT Debbie Reeder: Hayesville NC Ricky Reeder: Hayesville NC Mike Webb: Greer SC Amber Johnson: Hayesville NC Debi Foley: Hayesville NC Patrick Ramp: Hayesville NC Rachael Gilgen: Hayesville NC Gary Hogan: Hayesville NC Tammie Pech: Greenville Fl

We have our 4 Polar Bears that managed to stay in the water for the full 5 minute limit.(left Cory Hargett, Megan Galloway, Ken Adams & Jack Briggs

The happy faces of the people that braved the cold rain to be a polar bear!

We had 18 do the swim and over 100 come to watch the lunacy!

This is a free event for everyone, but donations were accepted to raise funds for the Hayesville High School Swim Team warm-ups fund. We had several generous swimmers and spectators last year that enjoyed the food (provided by the Country Cottage Restaurant and Deli) and gave enough money to buy our tee shirts and team sweat shirts. Thank you for your help!

I want everyone to know that I did the swim, and was the last one to enter the water, but as you can see from the photo above, I wasn't the last one out. Anyone that got in my way was in trouble. That water was cold!!. Does that buoy look like it was 25 yards away?? It didn't feel like it!!

Sam Brenner, NY Lydia Garrett, NC Stephen Harris, NC W. MacDonald, NC Patrick Ramp, NC Dwight Moss, NC Robby Thomson, NC Turner Guidry	Dylan Hargett, NC Rob Thomson, NC Doug Papciak, Ga Will Harlan, NC Nicoles Bracken, NC Tommy Rhodes, NC Sherrill Hogsed, NC Jeremiah Smith, NC Cory Hargett, NC Scott Hanna, NC
	The Final Three! Who are those guys??