The annual fund-raising event brings in more than $2,000 to help brighten some holidays.
NORWAY – As temperatures reached a balmy 50 degrees Sunday, 17 adventurous folks decided to take a nippy dip into Norway lake.
The 11th annual Jump in the Lake for Kids was organized by Rightstart, which uses the unusual fund-raiser to help needy children. The organization’s biggest projects are Christmas for Teens and Christmas for Kids.
Cheryl Riihimaki brought her daughter, Laurie, and her brother, Gerry White, along to “jump in the lake for kids’ sake.”
“We used to live in Mass. and do cooking for the homeless,” she said, “and up here it’s kind of hard to do that.”
When she heard about the opportunity to raise money by taking a little swim, she got a sponsor sheet and got to work.
John Williams, a Rightstart board member and executive director of the Chamber of Commerce, greeted jumpers as they dipped their toes in the water.
“On behalf of Rightstart,” he said, “you’re all crazy. Last year we helped 1,000 children who would have had no Christmas if it weren’t for people like you.”
Laurie Riihimaki, at 11 the youngest jumper, explained how it felt to be helping other kids.
A girl of few words, she said “cold.”
Jumpers ran together into the 40 degree water, ducked under, and ran back out as quickly as possible, causing Williams (who stayed on dry land) to exclaim “Hey, last year it was snowing. This is like a heat wave. What’s wrong with you guys?”
Kerry Halterman, clad in shorts and a dripping cowboy hat, said that the jump wasn’t as bad as last year.
“I tell my doctor this is my annual stress test,” he said. This was his ninth jump.
High school student Jesi Allen, a first time jumper, agreed that “it wasn’t that cold. It was a good jump.”
She and other jumpers filled the Little Red Schoolhouse after the dip, warming up with hot homemade soup donated by Marci Brown while Rightstart totaled the sponsor sheets.
Organizer Chris Yates thanked the jump’s sponsors before announcing who raised the most money. Larry Ketner of Ketner Pharmacy donated the towels that jumpers received as thank you gifts. The towels were embroidered by Perfect Stitch Embroidery. Yates also thanked PACE ambulance for donating its time.
“Nothing’s ever happened,” she said, “but you never know.”
Prizes were awarded to Halterman, Rhonda Maher, and the Riihimaki family for collecting the most donations. The 17 participants raised a total of more than $2000 for Rightstart.
Williams said that with the poor economy, “donations have been down and need is greater than ever.”
Christmas for Kids will help between 700 and 900 area children this year.
Anyone who wants to help can drop off gifts or make a monetary donation at Hannaford in Oxford or choose a child to buy for from the Christmas tree at Wal-mart. Donations can also be sent to Rightstart at P.O. box 726, Norway, Maine 04268.
Besides Christmas for Kids and Christmas for Teens, Rightstart awards a scholarship to an Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School graduate each year and holds a book swap at the Guy E. Rowe school every other month to provide books to children who otherwise wouldn’t have any.
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