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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, January 8, 2015 | 6 Taking the plunge Participants at this year's instalment of the Courage Polar Bear Dip sure made a splash, helping to raise more than $130,000 for World Vision's fresh water projects. The 30th anniversary of the Jan. 1 dip at Oakville's Coronation Park saw more than 700 dippers brave the frigid waters of Lake Ontario, while some 5,000 spectators cheered them on. The Courage Polar Bear Dip for World Vision is the largest dip in the Toronto area and the largest dip for charity in Canada, according to the event's organizers. Having surpassed its $120,000 fundraising goal, the event's contributions to World Vision have now topped $1.3 million. "I'm always impressed with the support we get from people who come out here on new year's day; we couldn't raise this amount of money without them," said Todd Courage, co-founder of the Courage Polar Bear Dip. "By throwing ourselves into freezing cold water, we've been able to provide fresh water for a whole community. It's exhilarating and invigorating to think about the impact that the $130,000 we've raised...will have through World Vision," said Courage's brother, Trent. "Looking beyond the dollar gure, this means the building of borehole wells, improved sanitation facilities, teaching of proper hygiene and sanitation practices and the planting of vegetable and fruit trees that will protect the environment and provide income to maintain the new wells." According to a release, funds raised by this year's dippers will help bring fresh water to more than 10,000 people in Rwanda. Spotlight "Connected to your Community" Dippers raise more than $130,000 for World Vision Some 700 Courage Polar Bear Dip participants took the plunge Jan. 1 at Oakville's Coronation Park in support of World Vision's international fresh water projects. They include, clockwise from right, Virginia Turner and her son Derek, Laura Fallow eld and Hannah Schmidt, Cindy Nicholson, and Victoria Fornear, dressed as Cindy Lou Who, and her dad, John, a.k.a. The Grinch. The 30th annual dip into Lake Ontario raised more than $130,000 ­ funds that will bring fresh water to some 10,000 people residing in the Gashora and Rugarama communities of Rwanda. For more photos, visit www. oakvillebeaver.com.| photos by Jayson Mills ­ special to the Beaver Volume 53 | Number 2 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON (905) 845-3824 Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. NEIL OLIVER Vice ­President and Group Publisher DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Halton Region Editor in Chief Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Advertising Department (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4444 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor