DeLuca to help Special Olympics “Be Bold and Get Cold” at new event

SCRANTON – Dominic DeLuca knows all about chasing lofty goals.

Now, the Wyoming Area graduate and Penn State football captain is providing his support to help the Northeast Region of Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) do the same.

DeLuca has filmed promotional videos and offered up other forms of encouragement to try to boost the fundraising efforts for a new SOPA event.

SOPA is excited to make a splash at its inaugural Northeast Polar Plunge onSaturday, Jan. 27. The Polar Plunge will be held at Montage Mountain Resorts, located at 1000 Montage Mountain Rd, Scranton. Check-in and in-person registration for the Plunge opens at noon, followed by opening ceremonies at 1:30 p.m. Plunging will begin at 2 p.m.

During a recent visit home, DeLuca went to Wyoming Area’s Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium to film video messages, including one with Special Olympics athlete Daniel Morales for his “Coolest Minute in Plunge” social media series. In another video, encouraging participation in the event, DeLuca said he uses cold water to help in recovery from intense workouts.

“You can also take part in that if you come to the first-ever Northeast Polar Plunge on January 27th,” DeLuca said.

In his video interview with Morales, DeLuca said he will be attending the plunge and he pledged to become one of the plungers if $5,000 in new plunge commitments were made in the two-week period that began with the videos debut Monday.

“Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Northeast Region is honored to have Dominic DeLuca as part of our movement!” Northeast Region Executive Director Heather Schreiner said. “It’s no wonder he has the drive to want to help create a more inclusive world through the power of sport given the level of dedication he has shown in doing his best on the field day after day.”

DeLuca went from a recruited walk-on to a scholarship athlete and team captain since coming to the nationally ranked Nittany Lions. At Wyoming Area, he was Pennsylvania’s Class 3A Player of the Year as a senior when he led the Warriors to a state championship with a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback despite suffering a serious knee injury earlier in the championship game in Hershey.

The Northeast Region invites participants of all ages (Plungers under 18 will need a parent or guardian signature) to dip in the frigid waters of the Plunge pool atop a snow-covered mountain in support of SOPA athletes. Parking and activities are free! Plunging (or being too chicken) costs $50 for adults and $25 for children and college students with a valid ID. In order to obtain a coveted Plunge T-shirt, a minimum of $50 must be fundraised.

Additionally, anyone can attend as a Plunge spectator, free of charge, and enjoy activities at Plunge Town from 12 to 4 p.m. These activities include Plunge Day music, yard game entertainment, fun competitions and “Too Chicken to Plunge” activities complete with yellow feather boas, dancing the chicken dance and watching the Plungers. There will also be basket raffles and more fun to have before and after the Plunge. Items autographed by DeLuca will be among the prizes available.

Polar Plunges are one of SOPA’s largest fundraisers and these events help to ensure that 13,000 athletes served around the state have access to our year-round sports, health and leadership programming free of charge! All money raised from Plunges in the Northeast Region will provide the hundreds of athletes in the region with funds for travel, uniform purchases, equipment and much more. SOPA encourages individuals to be bold, get cold and sign up to take the Polar Plunge. To register online or for more information, please visit NortheastPlunge.org.

Alongside the general Polar Plunge, the Northeast Region will host a Cool Schools Plunge Friday, Jan. 26. The Cool Schools Plunge is for school districts in the area, especially Unified Champion Schools, to have fun and show their support for a more inclusive world.

If you cannot make it in-person to this year’s Northeast Polar Plunge, you can chill at home and support SOPA by registering as a Virtual Plungerto take thePolar Pop. The Polar Pop asks participants to pop a cold-water balloon over their head and share it on social media before Plunge Day with the hashtag #FreezinForAReason.

Major event sponsors of the 2024 Northeast Polar Plunge currently include Sheetz, Montage Mountain Resorts and Wawa. The Times Leader News Group, parent company of the Sunday Dispatch, is a media partner of the first Northeast Polar Plunge along with WNEP-TV Channel 16 and local Audacy radio stations.

KRZ 98.5 FM radio DJ Jumpin’ Jeff Walker will join Morales to serve emcee the festivities. Similar to DeLuca, Walker is challenging his listeners to provide support for the event. If at least 98.5 new plungers register, Walker will step away from his emcee duties long enough to take the plunge.