Friday, January 28, 2011 will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. As you all know, USS Challenger is dedicated to the memory of the brave men and women who lost their lives on this mission. Please take a moment on Friday to remember them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster

Many of us first took the plunge back in 2002 in Maryland when we braved the cold waters of the Chesapeake. After a few years some of us decided to stay a bit more local and risk pneumonia in the Garden State. For the last five years Patrick Barnes has added to the fun of  entering ice cold water by making costumes which have led to various themes including Trek Rock, League of Silly Super heroes, Escapees from a Nut House and The Three Muscatrekkers. This year we are going Borg as in Ice Borgs.

We need $100 to register ourselves as a team and for that we need a bit of seed money. I know its asking a lot just following the holiday spending season and with many of us hit with less then stellar financial situations but the Starfleet Polar Bear Plunge team of R7 needs your support with some donations.

If you can spare $25, $15, or even $10 or $5 to support our effort it would be greatly appreciated. This year USS Challenger Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Singleton, Grand Costumer Patrick Barnes and USS Storm XO Larry Neigut and I are set to take the plunge but we need to assimilate some help.  While each of us are seeking our own venues for donations including, family, friends and co-workers we need to get some quick cash to help us get registered.

Donation checks can be made out to New Jersey Polar Bear Plunge- Special Olympics and sent to 202 8th Avenue Ortley Beach NJ 08751 -1401

If you want to join the Plunge Team be it as a spectator, holding our towels or taking pictures or even to join us in the plunge…contact me at 732-830-3262 or send me an e-mail at co@usschallenger.org

This year’s Polar Bear Plunge in NJ is coming up on Feb. 26 in Seaside Heights. More polar posts to come.

 Thank you,

Adm. Bob Vosseller
CO, USS Challenger

Hey all! now that you’re (mostly) dug out of your driveways, we’ve got our annual re-org meeting this Saturday, Jan. 15th! it’s at Bob’s Bungalow in Ortley Beach (now with brand-new bathroom facilities!), at 11:30 am, and run pretty much into early evening (we’ll be breaking for lunch, so please bring your own lunch & beverages!) and we’ll head out for dinner post-meeting.

See you there!