Local Law Enforcement Take the Polar Plunge

The 2013 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge in Yorkville raised over $90,000 to benefit the Illinois Special Olympics.

On Sunday, about 400 people jumped into the icy waters of Loon Lake at Silver Springs State Park in Yorkville. They did so as part of the 2013 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge. Plungers had to raise at least $75 in donations in order to participate in the event. All proceeds collected go toward Illinois Special Olympic athletes. In total, the Yorkville Polar Plunge raised $92,593. The Yorkville event is one of 20 Polar Plunges held around the state from mid-February through mid-March. Individuals who raised more than $500 and the top fundraising teams from all of the Illinois plunges are entered into various prize drawings. Prizes include a vacation to Mexico, an iPad Mini, Chicago Wolves tickets, and more. The Polar Plunge events …

• Photos (40)

Kendall County Comets Hold Fundraiser to Help Family of Athlete Travel to World Games

Event set for Dec. 1. Tickets are $15.

Kendall County Comets athlete Jeremy Kuehn is one of five athletes to represent the United States in the 2013 Special Olympic World Games in South Korea. While Keuhn's trip is paid for, the Comets are hosting a fundraiser Dec. 1 to help his family make the trip to South Korea. The event will be held from 5:30 - 11:30 p.m. at the Yorkville American Legion. Tickets are $15 and includes a dinner and raffle. For more information email KCSOCOMETS@GMAIL.COM or call 630-624-4405.

• Photos (1)

Snapshots

Yorkville Teen to Represent Team USA at Special Olympic World Games

Jeremy Kuehn, 17, will travel to PyeongChang, South Korea, in January.

A special thanks to Little Friends of Naperville for providing the following news release and photograph. The Kendall County Comets is planning a fundraiser Dec. 1 at the American Legion in Yorkville. You also can follow the team on Facebook here. Jeremy Kuehn of Yorkville has been selected to represent the United States in the 2013 Special Olympic World Winter Games that will take place in PyeongChang, South Korea, in January. Jeremy is 17 years old and a student at the Little Friends Bridge High School in Downers Grove, and he loves to compete.  For the past 6 years he has participated on the Kendall County Special Olympics team for the Comets in cross country skiing.  This past January, in the Illinois Special Olympics Winter Games he …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Snapshot: Torch Run Winds Through Kendall County

The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit the Special Olympics hit Kendall County on Wednesday. Runners were escorted by local police.

On Wednesday, more than 50 runners took to the streets to participate in the Illinois Law Enforcement Torch Run through Kendall County, to benefit the Illinois Special Olympics. And among them were 22 representatives from local law enforcement, including the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department, and police departments from Oswego, Yorkville and Plano. The Illinois Torch Run is now in its 26th year. Runners raised more than $2.9 million in 2011, and organizers set a goal of $3 million for this year. (The 2012 fundraising total has not yet been released.) The Kendall County portion of the run began at Blackberry Oaks Golf Course in Bristol, and ended in Home Town Park in Yorkville. Runners met up with athletes from the Kendall County Comets …

• Photos (1)

Photo: Cops on a Rooftop

Yorkville police and Citizens Police Academy Alumni members collected money Friday for Special Olympics.

If you noticed the Yorkville police squad with flashing lights in front of Dunkin Donuts on Friday, fear not - no one was in trouble. Police and Citizens Police Academy Alumni members were participating in a statewide effort to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois. Last year's event raised a total of $216,000 at 114 locations, according to the organization's website.

• Photos (1)

Cops on a Rooftop Friday

Yorkville police and Citizens Police Academy Alumni will be collecting money for Special Olympics at Dunkin' Donuts on Friday.

Yorkville police regularly stand on top of Dunkin' Donuts to raise money for Special Olympics through the "Cops on a Rooftop" event. In fact, Deputy Police Chief Don Schwartzkopf has done it enough that he's heard several variations of the standard joke: How much do I have to donate to keep him up there? How much do I have to donate before I can take the ladder? You can probably think of a few jokes about police officers and doughnuts, too. But Yorkville police, along with the Citizens Police Academy Alumni, will be out at Yorkville's Dunkin Donuts location from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday collecting donations for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. A few officers will be on top of the building, but others will be on the ground…

• Photos (1)

Photos: Yorkville Polar Plunge

The annual event raised money for the Special Olympics Illinois.

The annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge started at 1 p.m. Sunday at Silver Springs State Park's Loon Lake. Click here for information on the event. Participants and supporters are welcome to upload photographs and videos to this post, or e-mail them to Yorkville Patch Editor Jillian Duchnowski at jillian.duchnowski@patch.com.

•  1 Comment
• Photos (10)