Courage Polar Bear Dip going virtual in 2021

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Published December 29, 2020 at 11:43 pm

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As has been the case with many annual events in 2020, one of Canada’s most popular annual events is going digital.

The Courage Polar Bear Dip, the largest and the longest-running charity event of its kind in Canada, will be held virtually on January 1, 2021.

The event, which is intended to raise money to support World Vision’s clean water initiatives, normally takes place at Coronation Park in Oakville, along the shores of Lake Ontario.

However, the 2021 iteration will include virtual versions of Dip Day traditions, including the costume contest, live music, activities for the whole family, and videos of participants dipping safely from their own homes.

“COVID has not cancelled our Polar Bear Dip,” Trent Courage, the event’s founder, said in a news release.

“This year has definitely been a year full of change, but the need for clean water has not changed and is in fact even more critical for communities. That’s why we’re taking the Dip virtual. We invite those who dip with us every year and those across Canada who may be looking to dip for the first time to participate. Dip in your bathtub, kiddie pool, a snowbank. We’ve raised $1.9 million to date and are aiming for the $2 million mark!” he continued.

This will be the 26th consecutive year the Courage Polar Bear Dip has partnered with World Vision Canada to raise funds for clean water projects in Africa—funding from this year’s event will be used to support projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, and Canadians from coast to coast can register for the event online for free.

“I’ll be ringing in this new year with a virtual Polar Bear Dip! What a fun and meaningful start to a year that we all pray will be one of hope after the challenges of 2020,” Michael Messenger, president of World Vision Canada, said in the same release.

“The coronavirus has gripped the world, and vulnerable children and their communities have strongly felt its reverberating effects. But by joining other dippers, we can help—providing girls and boys and their families with clean water, sanitation and hygiene, all essential tools to stop the spread of COVID-19,” he continued.

Courtesy of Courage Polar Bear Dip via Instagram

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