ZEPHYR COVE — First there was the wind, then the cold and barely any sun to speak of. But it was the bodies — at least 300 of them — who jumped into Lake’s Tahoe’s chilly waters that, literally, took breaths away.

It was an unusual if not a downright frigid way to usher in Spring at Lake Tahoe, all in the name of a very worthy cause. Saturday’s sixth annual Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics was by far the largest cold-water swim at the lake in recent memory.

The event drew participants from Carson City, Fallon, Reno, Sacramento, Davis and San Francisco, who jumped, leaped and swam in Lake Tahoe’s famed waters to raise money for summer and winter sports programs offered to those with disabilities.

Nearly 30 teams collected about $40,000 from sponsors to participate in the swim. The only thing required was that team members had to put more than their toes into the 39-degree lake.

“Cold, cold, cold,” said Heather Grim, whose Carson City team of Nevada State Parole and Probation members jumped into Tahoe’s waters for a minute-long icy bath.

“We came out because the Special Olympics is such a great organization. We wanted to show them our support,” Grim said.

Sipping on hot cups of coffee to maintain warmth before and after the event, the parole and probation team, dressed in black and white-striped jail jumpsuits, were among scores of people who came in costumes.

The “JailBird” team consisted of Grim, Nancy Fraser, Karen Finley, Tassie Brooks and Ernie Richards.

The state workers weren’t the only Carson City people on hand for the event. Mike Dietrich and Christine Resch, who represented a team from the Greater Nevada Credit Union, dressed as pirates for the plunge.

Dietrich said he had “no idea” what he was getting into, but wanted to give it a try because the Special Olympics is “a great organization” that the credit union continues to support.

Not quite in a full-on shiver, Resch plopped into Lake Tahoe with a stuffed parrot on her shoulder for good luck.
 

The experience, she said, was remarkably cold but “well worth it,” she said.

Carson City Special Olympians Michael Labracque and David Sorenson each had their own take on the day and the swim. Sorenson, a member of the Carson City Tiger Sharks, had never done a cold water swim until Saturday. A 2006 medalist in the Summer Special Olympics in Ames, Iowa, Sorenson jumped into Lake Tahoe, going up to his waist, before making his way out.

“It’s exactly what I expected,” he said. “I love to swim but this isn’t like the pool.”

Meanwhile Labracque, who won gold and silver medals in snow shoeing events recently at the Special Olympic Winter games in Idaho, had done the Polar Plunge before and said he’s ready to “do it again” next year.

Swimmers joined friends and family members afterward aboard the M.S. Dixie for lunch and to warm up.

Saturday’s Polar Plunge was the fourth one this year for Special Olympics. Similar fundraisers were held in San Francisco, Fresno and Fort Bragg.

The fundraisers were coordinated with a sense of urgency, as corporate donations to the organization have plummeted this year, said Kirsten Cherry, spokeswoman for the Special Olympics of Northern California and Northern Nevada.

With an annual budget of around $7 million, this year’s Special Olympics operating budget was $4.5 million, in large part, because of the recession.

But Saturday’s turnout was a milestone for the Tahoe Polar Plunge. Last year’s event drew 40 swimmers and raised about $20,000. This year, the event made close to $40,000.

“Even in this economy, to see this many people come out and raise money through individual donations, is amazing,” Cherry said. “We’re so grateful to those who support us in any way they can. Today’s turnout was amazing.”