LAKEVIEW POLAR BEAR CLUB
CELEBRATION OF SHRINKAGE
LINKS TO CHICAGO AREA
POLAR BEAR CLUBS:
January 28th, 2012
Oak Street Beach - Chicago, Illinois
Links to past event
pages and photos:
Photo By Tim Harmsen
Photo By Tim Harmsen
Links to more great photos from the 2010 event:  
about
sponsors
History of the Lakeview Polar Bear Club

The LPBC was born in late 2001 when Brian Marchal decided that
he wanted to join a polar bear club and jump in Lake Michigan.  
Being new to Chicago he thought it might be a good way to meet a
few people and have a good time.  Unfortunately, way back in 2001
most polar bear clubs didn't have websites and poor Brian couldn't
find a club to join.  So he decided to convince a big group of his
friends to go to the Lake on New Year's Day in 2002 and jump in the
lake.  Turns out that Brian wasn't very persuasive.  Therefore, on
January 1st, 2002 the humble beginnings of the LPBC were born
when a group of 3 people jumped into Lake Michigan.  

A few weeks after the initial plunge Brian heard that one of his
cousins needed a lung transplant.  The family did not have much
money, but the Marchal family is pretty darn big.  The idea came to
life of a polar plunge event to raise money for his cousin.  If they
brought together all the family and friends they could raise enough
money to significantly help out his cousin and their family.  Plans
started immediately and on January 25th, 2003, the LPBC hosted
their first charity fundraiser.
Brian & Nick during the 2002 plunge
Of course, if we had family dealing with a difficult financial situation,
then everyone must know someone who is struggling to make ends
meet.  Whether it is related to the loss of a job, an extreme medical
condition, an accident, homelessness, or whatever the situation,
everyone has someone in their life in need of help.  For the 2004
plunge it was decided to open the event up to all of our past donors
and polar bears and let them nominate a family for the LPBC to
provide support.  This was the year that the Lakeview Polar Bear
Club truly started to take shape.   

Now it is time to get ready for the 10th Annual Polar Plunge and the
LPBC is so grateful for everyone's help, support and donations.  
During the past 9 years the LPBC has supported 9 great families.  
From the Martin's to the Silivestru's to the Tate's to the Hinders to the
Prestangen's to the Rowell's to the Cunningham's to the Pond and
Jones families and now two new families for the 2011 event.  The
Lakeview Polar Bear Club has proved that a small group of people
can make a difference.  With the conclusion of the 2010 event, the
LPBC is proud to announce that we have raised over $81,000 to help
out families in need.  Every penny that has been donated has been
passed on to the families that truly need it.

The Lakeview Polar Bear Club is something that you can believe in
and something that you can be proud to be a part of.  I know that we
appreciate the time, money, effort, and courage from everyone who
has taken part in our event.  We just wanted to say one more time to
everyone - THANK YOU.
The lake was frozen in 2007
- here is Mike Monaghan
improvising with a few
snow angels.
26 polar bears braved the
surfable waves and the  
temperature of 12   F for the
2006 plunge.
o
In a strange twist it
was 60  F for our
plunge in 2009.  
Best Weather Ever.
o