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3 | Thursday, December 5, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com inside today's Spotlight Sports Beaver www.insideHALTON.com 6 31 Health Classified 30 36 Dell Computers, City Parent, Freshco, Food Basics, Metro, Telus, Holland Park Garden, M&M Meats, Home Hardware, Globo, Crate and Barrel, Real Estate, Kitchen & Bath, Snuggle Bugz, Loblaws, Rona, Corbeil, Atmosphere, Real Canadian Superstore, Merino's Carpet, Extension Pilates, PC Mobile, Neetus Beauty Salon, JYSK, Starsky Fine Foods, 2001 Audio Video, The Bay, Smart Source, Vistek, Michael-Angelo's, Home Outfitters, Fortinos, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bouclair, Nature's Source, Future Shop, Rexall, Home Depot, Pharmasave, Pharma Plus, EB Games, Mark's, Canadian Tire, Staples, Walmart, Rogers, Toys R Us, Target, XS Cargo, Sheridan Nurseries, The Source, Drug Trading, Sport Chek, Old Navy, Best Buy, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sears, Kohl & Firsch, Michael's, Sobeys *All flyers not necessarily delivered to all homes Trent Courage, left, and his brother Todd, who co-founded the Courage Polar Bear Dip 29 years ago, are pictured at the anniversary 2010 event. They are now gearing up for the 2014 edition of the New Year's Day tradition in Oakville. | Oakville Beaver file photo For home delivery & customer service call 905-631-6095, 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington New subscriptions call 905-631-6095 or subscribe online at www.oakvillebeaver.com Polar Bear Dip is a family affair Canadian Made Solid Wood continued from p.1 "It's a great feeling to know that through all the craziness, at the end of the day we're raising money for a great cause," said Trent Courage. There are prizes for best costume and raising the most money. The Courage brothers' dip has raised more than $1 million in total, donated to World Vision water projects, since 1995. Last year, an estimated 4,000 people watched 700 others take the dip, with $120,000 raised. "It's about jumping in the water to create clean water for others," said Trent. This year's proceeds will go to a project in Rwanda. A visit to the central African country with World Vision was an eye-opener for the Courage brothers. "You could see where the money was going, see the wells and see them boring holes in the spring," said Todd. "It's good for irrigation and sanitation and it helps with education." They noted with a new well nearby, children can attend school instead of walking long distances to fetch dirty water elsewhere. Trent and Todd, who run Courage Distributing in Oakville, organize and participate in the dip annually and started it nearly three decades ago. "Our mom inspired us one New Year's morning to go jump in the lake," recalled Trent. The brothers, their mother Gaye and friends dipped into the lake off Appleby Line, near where they lived in Burlington. "Each year it kept growing and we got to a year where we had to go somewhere else," said Todd. "Coronation Park was the logical place to go to." They added a costume contest, refreshments and an after-party at the Tin Cup. Mike Whaling and his band play blues-style music at the dip event. "He absolutely wants to be there every year, he has such a good time," said Trent. Their mother went in last year and all of the brothers' children take the dip. "My three boys do it, they've done it ever since they were four years old, going up to their knees. They help raise money," said Trent. "It's a great feeling, it's very exhilarating." Winter weather hasn't stopped the annual event. "For a couple of years, we had friends join us with pick axes and jackhammers to chip the ice away," said Todd. "There are a lot of good people who help." They cited their office manager Cheryl Singleton and Brian Betsworth, who does sound and staging, as important helpers. About 60 volunteers work on the event. "There are a lot of key players," said Trent. "This could not be done without them." Sponsors and corporate supporters, World Vision, St. John ambulance, firefighters, police and others all make the dip safe and successful. The event gets started at 12:30 p.m. with entertainment and activities. The dipping starts at 2 p.m. Donations of $5 can be made by texting courage to 45678. For more information, visit www.polarbeardip.ca. DURHAM FURNITURE Introducing..."Rustic Civility" 1953-2013 60 years Furniture & Home Decor 217 Lakeshore Rd. E. Downtown Oakville · 905-844-3530 Proudly Supporting Canadian Manufacturers www.swissinteriors.com