Lt. John Doyle, judge advocate assigned to Region Legal Service Office Northwest, left behind the gray skies of the Pacific Northwest for the icy waters of Lake Michigan on March 5, 2017. Every year, people like Doyle brave the near-freezing (and sometimes frozen) waters of Lake Michigan in an effort to raise money for Special Olympics Chicago.
The event is called the Chicago Polar Plunge, and it registers “teams” to fundraise for Special Olympics Chicago in exchange for actually jumping in the water. Over the years the event has raised millions of dollars and has been an important source of funding for the organization. Special Olympics Chicago supports over 6,800 athletes in 22 sports. Doyle has participated in the Chicago Polar Plunge since his law school days at Northwestern. The Special Olympics, especially those in his hometown of Chicago, hold a special place in his heart.
"I was proud to show my support for Special Olympics Chicago and aspiring athletes like my 8-year-old brother Colin by jumping into Lake Michigan," said Doyle. Regarding the plunge itself, Doyle reports, "It's probably the closest I'll get to passing BUD/s!" Due to Doyle’s team’s effort, they raised $15,000 in support of the Special Olympics.
Any reference to a non-Federal entity in a #BZFriday blog post should not be considered an endorsement of the non-Federal entity or its activities.