The Polar Plunge is a yearly New Year’s Day activity for Phil Campbell and Franklin County – except for this year.

“The water is very murky, and it’s supposed to rain again this afternoon or again before New Year’s,” said Bruce Foreman Dec. 30. Foreman organizes the Bear Creek plunge each year. “I don’t want anybody to get hurt. Usually we can see 3-4 feet deep … There is no telling what has washed up in there.”

So the Plunge was canceled, but the purpose behind it – fundraising for local families – continued as scheduled. Foreman spent several hours on New Year’s Day at the Mon Dye Boat Landing on the Upper Bear Creek, the Plunge’s usual spot, taking up funds for three local families whose children are battling cancer – Millie, Cheyann and Travis. It’s an effort, Foreman said, that’s close to his heart: his family dealt with the medical expenses and the extensive travel when his own son was born prematurely, so he has a feeling for the challenges these families are facing.

“Anything I do now I try to do for the families of those three,” said Foreman. He said he is hopeful people will donate generously. “We’ve got some good people around here. We’ve got some good giving hearts.”

It was a tough day for fundraising, but a few folks trickled by throughout the afternoon to help Foreman with his $900 goal. One was Scott Franklin, for whom this would have been his fifth year to participate.

“I’ve been doing this routinely, coming out here,” Franklin said. “I know this is going for a good cause … More people need to participate. Be part of your community. Do something for your community. It doesn’t hurt to do something every once and a while for your community, and that’s what this is about.”