Saturday, March 15, 2025
On a very chilly day on Feb. 9, community members packed the beach and boardwalk for the annual Long Beach Polar Bear Splash, defying the elements and the water while testing their fortitude and raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Both new plungers and seasoned veterans made up the sleuth on Laurelton Boulevard, crowding the sand while dry beforehand and shivering and cold afterward. The splash itself lasts only a few moments but the anticipation, excitement and nervousness can make it feel like an eternity to some.
“The Polar Bear Splash is what Long Beach is all about,” City Councilman Mike Reinhart said in a past interview. “One part community, one part generosity and a little touch of the best kind of craziness, this event has done so much good for so many kids who really need it. Congrats to the Polar Bears on their 25th year and thank you for bringing the community together for such a great cause.”
Long Beach’s Polar Bear Splash has become the biggest community fundraiser for Make-A-Wish, averaging about $500,000 in donations each year. Most proceeds come from the purchase of polar bear apparel, most notably sweatshirts. However, the donations allow for the foundation to give their greatest gift — hope.
Back in 1998, two good friends wanted to do a New Year’s Day plunge with the Coney Island Polar Bears for one of their birthdays. They couldn’t make it. So, they took the plunge on their own the next month, on Super Bowl Sunday, in their own city, Long Beach.
The two friends, Kevin McCarthy and Pete Meyers, said they invited their neighbors to join them the next time. To their surprise, nearly 20 people showed up at the beach with them the following year. So, for fun, Meyers began making everyone sweatshirts with polar bears on them. Shortly after, the tradition gained a new meaning.
Two of Meyers’s neighbors, Mike and Patty Bradley, lost their son Paulie to leukemia at age 4 in 1997. They loved the polar bear sweatshirts and asked Meyers and McCarthy if they could begin selling them and donate the proceeds to Make-A-Wish in honor of their son in 2001.
Since then, the splash has grown, with more swimmers and supporters joining each year. The Long Beach Polar Bears have helped grant so many wishes, ensuring that other children get to experience the joy that Paulie was never able to.
