Drake SIFE Polar Plunge – Tonight!

Guest Post: Submitted by London James

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is an international nonprofit organization that aims to fill community needs through the power of business principles. We have divided up into four major projects this semester, and my project is Helping the Homestead.

The Homestead is a nonprofit campus in Runnells, IA that provides permanent living and employment to 24 autistic adults. This campus struggles with financial sustainability, as they depend on donations, grants, and volunteers to keep the campus going. Their product markets (farm crops, apples, wreaths/poinsettias, etc.) are not enough to sustain them. Our goal is to fundraise money to purchase certain equipment/supplies that they can use permanently. It will either cut costs they already have or increase revenue streams – therefore, we are essentially helping them help themselves.

In order to fundraise for this great cause, Drake SIFE is partnering with the Des Moines Winter Games to host the first ever Drake SIFE Polar Plunge event on Friday, February 3rd at 6:00 pm at Sleepy Hollow Sports Park (4051 Dean Ave
Des Moines, IA). Drake SIFE students, along with over one hundred other community supporters, will pay $5 to dress in costume and jump into the freezing cold Sleepy Hollow lake! Warming tents will be provided for contestants to stand in before and after they jump. Prizes will be given for the best costumes, and a random raffle drawing will occur throughout the evening. Plenty of other activities will also be available that night: a live band, ice sculpting contest, etc.

We are requesting your participation by either jumping with us or pledging on our behalf. All proceeds made from the event (including the $5 per person to jump and any pledges made) will go entirely towards the Homestead. If you would like to jump, please contact London James (contact info below) and she will make sure to send you the sign-up link when it becomes available in January. If you would rather pledge money, all checks can be written to ‘Drake SIFE.’ If you are not familiar with any members of the Drake SIFE group, contact London James to arrange a time for her to come collect the pledged amount from you. (Cash will also be accepted, although checks are preferred).

For further detail, visit Drake SIFE Polar Plunge on Facebook. We hope we can count on your support for this great cause, and plan on seeing you all February 3rd!
Thank you,
London James – Project Leader, Helping the Homestead
London.james@drake.edu
641-740-0258

For additional questions regarding SIFE or the Polar Plunge Event, please feel free to contact:

Zach Schrom – Project Leader, Helping the Homestead
zachery.schrom@drake.edu
507-461-0044

Thomas Mayberry – Marketing Committee, Helping the Homestead
Thomas.mayberry@drake.edu

For additional questions regarding the Homestead, see http://www.thehomestead.org , or contact:

Eric Armbrecht – Vocational Director, The Homestead (Runnells campus)
earmbrecht@TheHomestead.org
515-202-8073