As has become customary in past years, many brave souls headed to Huntsville's Peninsula Lake to ring in the new year with a freezing dip.
2024 was no exception, with several people welcoming the new year in a particular way at noon Jan. 1.
Event organizers could not make a hole in the lake's ice, as temperatures were not low enough, so participants faced a significant challenge — walking into the frozen-over waters.
“This year was really difficult for the dippers,” said Jennifer Jerrett, community engagement specialist for Community Living Huntsville.
“Typically, when you jump into a hole, it's a lot easier than walking in because the cold takes over your body quicker than when it's a gentle walk.… They had to walk through shards of ice just to get out to a point where they could dip under the water, and they were terrific.”
The event has a charitable purpose — to raise funds for Community Living Huntsville — and has raised $2,240 as of Jan. 2.
For Adrian Schmidt-Fajlik, a participant in this event for several years, stepping into the cold Peninsula Lake to welcome the new year has become a personal challenge.
“It's very challenging and can bring out your inner spirits.… It's just a challenge for the body and mind, and it's a good experience,” he said.
“It's also a very community-building event. So, it allows people to bond and see that others are having fun with something challenging.”
Although the event was planned to start at noon, several people began to dive in around 11:55 a.m. After groups of friends and families dipped, they promptly walked out of the lake, shivering from the cold, to get their towels and dry off.
By 12:35 p.m., all those who dared to participate had left the site.
According to Jerrett, the fundraiser will continue until the end of January, and people are invited to donate through the website.
Julian Orlando Chaves is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Huntsville Forester. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.
