With a small group of friends and family cheering them on, the inaugural Polar Pond Plunge served as the finale to the first phase of fundraising for Love Has A Home Here (LHAH). The nonprofit is planning to purchase Sticks & Stones Farm.

On that initial goal, the event was a success, according to LHAH Founder and President Bill Donaldson. The bracing activity also felt like a washing away of the outgoing year for the half-dozen hearty participants who jumped into the chilly water.

LHAH in August entered into an agreement to purchase Sticks & Stones Farm. The organization’s fundraising campaign was formally launched on Giving Tuesday in November, with Donaldson promising supporters that he would jump into the pond in front of the property’s landmark stone barn if $10,000 was raised.

Giving Tuesday, on November 29, helped LHAH raise approximately $7,000. By early December Donaldson announced it was close enough for him to follow through on his promise. Inviting others to join him for an early afternoon dip on New Year’s Eve, Donaldson said he hoped to close the gap with some help from friends.

New Year’s Eve Plunge

As participants and spectators gathered under a tent Saturday afternoon, Donaldson did a brief Facebook Live video before handing the camera off to Rachel Olivera, whose husband was also about to go into the frigid water.

“This was my brilliant idea,” Donaldson said into the camera, smiling and adding, “and people are actually joining me.”

Donaldson introduced his viewers to Atara Horrigan, Herman Olivera, Justin Pegnataro, Tim Siegrist, and Lori Strazza, who were all preparing to go into the pond with him.

Pegnataro said he was joining Donaldson “because of your vision for this land, and because I want to keep this place going. I honor and support what you are doing.

“I hate cold water,” he added. “I really hate immersing myself in cold water, but I really believe in this man and his vision for this place, so that’s why I’m jumping in today.”

Olivera said he felt called to take the plunge. A longtime visitor to the farm and a supporter of LHAH, Olivera said to Donaldson, “We’ve got to preserve this land, in the right hands. I believe in your organization.”

“This is a precious and sacred land that needs to be preserved,” Olivera added. “We can’t have this fall into the hands of developers. We need to protect the spirits of the land for generations to come, whatever it takes. If we have to walk on fire next, I’ll do that.”

Horrigan spent a recent summer at Sticks and Stones Farm, she said Saturday afternoon. Standing with Donaldson and former board member Andrea Allodola, Horrigan shared her reason for joining the jump to support LHAH and Sticks and Stones Farm.

“It’s a very special, healing place for me,” she said to the Facebook audience. “I’m just super happy to be here. It’s really been Bill and Andrea who have made the experience of being on this land so magical and beautiful.

“I really do believe in the cause of Love Has A Home as becoming the new stewards of this land,” Horrigan continued. “You guys bring so much to this place and help make it shine. If I can help and support you in some way to do that, then here I am and that’s why I’m going in the water today.”

Stepping Off The Plank

As Donaldson circled around to speak with each of his fellow jumpers, Pegnataro stacked wood in a portable fire pit and then lit a fire ahead of the plunge.

A small group of friends and family gathered in the driveway just south of the pond, where a pop-up tent offered some protection from the drizzling rain that arrived earlier in the day than expected. A small table under the tent held extra blankets and towels for after the plunge.

While the pond water was not frozen on Saturday, there were spots along the edge where the water was crusted over.

“I put my hand in earlier and it came out icy cold,” Donaldson noted.

A plank had been set up to allow the six to walk from the edge of the pond to an underwater ledge in front of a small waterfall. Shortly after 1, Donaldson led the group around the southern rim of the pond and onto the plank.

He, Olivera and Strazza stepped off the wood plank onto the underwater ledge, while Horrigan, Pegnataro and Siegrist edged as close to the end of the plank as possible.

“Oh my god I’m cold already!” Donaldson exclaimed as the water seeped into his sandals.

He and the next three made the initial jump into the chest-high water — and there was certainly some hesitation and sounds of shock as they went in — followed in short order by Pegnataro and Siegrist. Each of the six approached the water differently.

Once on the ledge, Strazza dove headfirst into the water. Olivera and Donaldson watched in surprise for just a moment before they each made their way in. Donaldson did a half-jump off the ledge, while Olivera stepped into the water.

Horrrigan stepped right off the plank into the water, without hesitation.

Pegnataro edged off the plank onto the underwater ledge before easing into the water.

Siegrist then worked his way to the end of the plank. While Pegnataro began making his way toward the edge of the pond, Siegrist gave his best effort at doing a cannonball behind Pegnataro, into the shallow water.

While five of the jumpers were quick to exit the pond, Horrigan wasn’t immediately ready to get out of the water. After being fully immersed a few times, she made her way back toward the ledge.

Clearly enjoying the refreshment, she sat in front of the waterfall for a moment before leaning back, opening her arms wide, and just letting the frigid water fall over her.

Her legs straight out in front of her, toes peeking above the water line, Horrigan smiled broadly while cheers from those already out of the water and the spectators carried out to her.

Next Steps

By January 3, Donaldson was very happy to report that the New Year’s Eve event could be called a success, for a few reasons. Between pledges and donations that were collected on Saturday, “plus some additional donations that have arrived recently,” he said, the $10,000 goal had been exceeded.

“This is stage one fundraising,” he said, “which is just to cover the cost of zoning approval for the retreat center we’re looking to create.”

Donaldson in the past has said the goal of his nonprofit is to preserve the long legacy of open public space at Sticks and Stones “and to provide a community-based venue for deep nature connection, spiritual and personal growth, and a peaceful respite from the stress and disconnection of everyday life.”

The mission of Love Has A Home Here is very much in line with what Sticks and Stones Farm has been doing already. Once LHAH goes through local zoning channels, its next step will be major fundraising to purchase the 60-acre property near the Newtown-Monroe line.

Additionally, the 2022 Polar Pond Plunge was the first of what the Love Has A Home Here founder hopes will become an annual event. Saturday, he said, was a good way “to get people together and do something a little crazy.

“We can raise money for lots of things, and it was fun,” Donaldson added Tuesday afternoon.

“I know that one of these years it will be incredibly, awfully cold,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll be sorry then.”

Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.