Wednesday, March 21, 2018

St. Patrick's Grunge Pledges


                Our Saturdays are usually tied up with plans - most of the time it's been going to Roseburg to do shopping, though there are the occasional weekends our plans are attending various activities here in Myrtle Creek or surrounding areas.  Occasionally we actually have a free Saturday which is what I had supposed this last weekend, but Jenna reminded me that I said I would drive her over to the pool to watch the "Grunge Plunge". 


                Most of the pictures I share are cropped screenshots of live event video posted to South Umpqua Memorial Pool page on March 17, 2018
  


                On March 4 last year, South Umpqua Memorial Pool held its first ever "Grunge Plunge".  I didn't even know about it until after the fact - which is actually kind of weird as social media, namely facebook, seems to be this town's most important source of marketing. It appears that there were ten jumpers last year.

2017 Jumpers holding up awarded t-shirts saying:
I Survived South Umpqua Memorial Pool's 1st Grunge Plunge

          Those that had pledged help raise 2,600 and added a pooling carpet to the hurtful cement floors in the dressing rooms and spruced them up to look nice.  Their goal this year was to raise over that amount - which they did.



         The pool site was/is in need of a makeover and the Grunge Plunge provided the community with a unique fundraiser by making pledges for certain individuals to jump into the grungy (and I would imagine frigid) pool that, although covered by a tarp since September, has still had elements effect the conditions of what was once clean water.  



SUMP facebook page cover this month

            I think Jenna would like to do the jumping, but the jumpers have to be over sixteen years of age.  I like that as she had been sick last year and was barely getting over her cough this year.  Four teachers and principal challenged their students to raise at least 200 dollars.  They announced that each of them would jump for every 100 raised after that and if 600 was raised, all five would jump.  There was also call for a germ phobic who said she would go in if 1,000 was raised.  They also challenged South Umpqua High School.  I didn't notice a response.  
 
            This year they did not have to jump as individuals but could do so in groups.  They could also choose to jump from either side of the deep end (shallow end still covered in tarp) or they could go off the diving board.  There were 13 groups or individuals that were sponsored to jump.  We had representatives from Coffenberry, Myrtle Creek Fire Department, State Farm and the mayor among others.  

            Josh Norton was the emcee who passed out awards/trophies before anyone jumped in. Our mayor received one for his attire 


our mayor accepting his award

and the water treatment boys received one for the most money raised.   

2018 trophy

Toward the end, Josh challenged one of his lifeguards to jump as well.  He didn't seem happy about it but accepted the challenge.  Josh jumped in last and thanked the community for the amount of money that was raised: more than twice the amount as last year.


See the crowd all around the pool

calm waters before the jump

Before the jump


After the jump

water with jumpers



            It was a fun event.  Crowded.  I'm happy that it was recorded as It was easier to watch and identify some of the people on the video than it was from behind the fence.  Jenna had gone inside to stand with the crowd to cheer on the Coffenberry instructors.  I prefer standing away from the crowd - or next year - sitting in my pjs and watching the video.  Then I don't have to worry about parking either.  I LOVE living in a small community!                    


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