Spotlight "Connected to your Community" Approximately 800 people waded into Lake Ontario Sunday, Jan. 1 in the seventh annual Courage Brothers annual Polar Bear Dip benefitting World Vision clean water projects. Clockwise, from top left, Dipper Robyn Williams of Tottenham, Ont. was out in full Canadian style for the event at Coronation Park, that raised $150,000, not including online donations. Inset, Angel Freedman, Mary Kovacs and Loredana Cerilli of The Copsicles team brave the waters as Peel Regional Police Media Officer Matt Small of The Copsicles runs out of the water with a Canadian hag Scott Mills carries Son Reggie on his shoulders out of the water. James Maurini dressed up for the party. Sara Young and Trent Courage run in from the chilly water. Milton resident Al Ziesman holds up the front page of the Beaver's sister newspaper in Milton, the Milton Canadian Champion as he pauses for a pose. | Jayson Mills photos T hou sand sw atch800 take C ou rage P olar Bear D ipJan. 1 by Marta Marychuk Oakville Beaver Staff ore than 800 people braved the frosty waters of Lake Ontario to take part in the annual Courage Polar Bear Dip, held Sunday (Jan. 1) at Coronation Oakville. "It was a fantastic day," said Todd Courage. "It just keeps getting better and better." M This year' s event attracted more than 5,000 spectators, said Courage, adding that the warmer temperatures on Sunday helped make the day a success. In the last few years, Courage said it has rained. Although the water temperature was below Park zero, in the air temperature in Oakville was above freezing (3 C) on New Year' s Day, according to Environment Canada. Courage established the polar bear dip with his brother Trent, 32 years ago, when the two were just teenagers. The event has grown in size over the years. This year organizers were hoping to raise $150,000, the largest amount for a single polar bear dip. The $150,000 target was selected to kick off Canada' s sesquicentennial anniversary. Although organizers are just shy of the $150,000 goal, Courage said people could still donate online at www.polarbeardip.ca until the end ofJanuary Proceeds of this year' s polar bear dip will go to support World Vision water projects in Rwanda, Ghana, Mali and Tanzania. Overall, fundraising efforts of the Courage Polar Bear Dip is expected to exceed $1.5 million this year. "I want to thank everyone for showing up," said Courage, who also recognized the contribu tion made by many volunteers who helped run the event, as well as the supporters. LLE ' m e t r o Ia n d m e d ia OPC O n t a r io P re s s C o u n c il B e a v e r* Volume 55 | Number 1 Oakville Beaver is a m em ber o f the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 8 0 Gould St., Suite 206 , Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M 7. Phone (4 1 6 ) 3 4 0 -1 9 8 1 . Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event o f a typographical error, th a t portion o f advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance o f the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content o f the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Editorial Department Advertising Department Classified Advertising Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington NEIL OLIVER Vice -President and Group Publisher KELLY MONTAGUE Regional General Manager DANIEL BAIRD Director of Advertising ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor 5046 M ain w ay, U n it 2, B u rlin g to n (905) 845-3824 (905) 845-3824 (905) 845-3824 (905) 632-4440 (905) 631-6095