(December 29, 2016) –
MISSISSAUGA, ON -
WHAT: The
Courage Polar Bear Dip for World Vision, the biggest and longest-running charity dip in Canada, returns on New Year's Day 2017. To celebrate the first day of "Canada 150", nearly 1,000 dippers have set a fundraising goal of $150,000 for clean water projects in Africa.
WHEN: Sunday, January 1, 2017, 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., with the dip itself taking place at 2p.m.
WHERE: Coronation Park, Oakville 1426 Lakeshore Rd W, Oakville, ON
VISUALS:
- Huge crowd of brave Canadians of all ages, counting down and running into the cold waters of Lake Ontario together, many of them in red & white costumes
- Canadian costume contest to mark "Canada 150"
- Live music with a festive atmosphere
- Thousands of spectators supporting the dippers
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE:
Todd and Trent Courage, Polar Bear Dip founders
Eric Frans, Vice-President, World Vision Canada
MORE INFO:
Web links:
www.polarbeardip.ca;
www.worldvision.ca
Social media:
@PolarBearDip; #PolarBearDip
FAST FACTS:
- This year's event will be an extra special celebration of Canada's 150th birthday with a wave of nearly 1000 dippers encouraged to wear red & white or classic Canadian costumes
- The Courage Polar Bear Dip for World Vison is the largest charity dip in Canada
- Todd and Trent Courage founded the Courage Polar Bear Dip as teenagers, 32-years ago
- The Dip is expected to raise $150,000 this year for World Vision water projects in Rwanda, Ghana, Mali and Tanzania
- Overall fundraising since inception is expected to surpass $1.5 million this year