Two Mile opened up for swimming - for one cold minute

Updated to correct a misspelled name 2-21-22

With the "feels-like" temperature having around three degrees, Two Mile Run County Park manager Luke Kauffman said he hadn't planned on jumping in the water this year. But when he saw how many people came out he changed his mind. The annual Polar Plunge fundraiser for the park drew one of its biggest crowds yet despite the chill in the air.

In his pre-plunge instruction, Kauffman asked folks to walk, not run and listen to their bodies. Safety folks were on hand and the Oil City Fire Department scuba rescue team was in the water to be sure everyone was safe.

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Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce director Jodi Baker Lewis, a huge supporter for the event, got in about to her knees, said "nope," then turned around and walked back out. "Whoever said that 'when the air is cold the water will feel warmer' lied," said Central Elementary School gym teacher CP Mooney who went all in. 

The teeth chattering echoed across the frozen pond.

The county commissioners supported the event too. Sam Breene said it wasn't too bad until he realized his shoes were beginning to turn to ice. "There was definitely the warning signs of frostbite going on," he said while changing his shoes in a car. He later admitted he was ok as he sampled hot soup in the park's warm Nature Lodge. Breene said since he told the newspaper he would do it he had no choice and his late mom Marty Breene, a well-known local political figure, would think he was nuts.

Chip Abramovic, who has also recently rode a bull, seemed to take his first plunge in stride.  He donned a pair of patriotic American flag shorts and went full-in. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," he said as he stood around gathering his things on the beach. Abramovic said there was a significant amount of county employees at the event, so they took a group picture.

Mike Dulaney, the commissioner who supported the event fully clothed and from the shore, jokingly said "one of us has to have a brain." He asked Kauffman at what temperature does an event like this get cancelled, Dulaney said the bar is set around the 0 mark. "We're at three degrees," Delaney said with little shoulder shrug.

All three commissioners were happy to support the event, especially since they survived.

​In fact everyone seemed happy to have survived to tell about being crazy enough to jump in a frozen lake for a good cause - raising money for the beloved county park.

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