BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Hundreds will shed their layers and take an icy dip for a good cause at the Special Olympics Vermont Penguin Plunge in Burlington this weekend. And one longtime plunger will lead the waddle.
Bennett Townley of Williston was just 10 when he joined Special Olympics Vermont, a nonprofit supporting athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They helped Townley find community and foster passions like skiing.
So, he was eager to give back through their Penguin Plunge fundraiser. His first plunge was on his birthday.
“I just turned 13, and I want, I’ve been asking to plunge. And my parents said I could plunge. And it was so fun. I said, ‘I want to do this every day,’” said Townley.
Over a decade later, Townley is an athlete and Special Olympics staffer, and he’s still plunging.
He blew fundraising out of the water this year as a top contributor, raising more than $8,000. That brings him up to more than $75,000 raised since his first birthday plunge.
“Just because we may not be able to drive or work as many hours or be as independent doesn’t mean we’re people who are not important. Everybody’s important. And it’s really important to get that across. And that’s what Special Olympics does perfectly,” said Townley.
You can watch Townley jump in or join the plunge yourself at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Burlington Waterfront.
If you’re not feeling the freeze, you can still donate to the cause.
