Polar Bear Jump to return at Goodyear Lake

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·3 min read

Feb. 8—After a hiatus of several years, the Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump will return Saturday, Feb. 18.

Co-organizers Brenda and Jamie Waters had to cancel the 2020 jump after they were in a car accident in 2019 and were physically unable to organize the jump. The COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2021 and 2022 jumps. While the first jump was 28 years ago, this will be the 25th jump, Brenda said.

The event raises money for charitable causes each year.

Brenda said she didn't know if there would be a polar bear jump this year, as her mom and grandmother both died within the past year. She said as she was going through her mother's things, she found items from previous jumps and toys for kids.

"I decided to make a couple of calls to see if people were interested," she said. "The energy from everyone was overwhelming and amazing."

She said during her first three calls, she heard of three potential recipients. "One of the hardest things is to find recipients, and the first three people had good ideas for recipients," she said. "I knew then we needed to hold the jump this year. The response has been amazing. The community really needed this."

The community came together Jan. 28, for the annual raffle at Milford Central School to raise money to hold this year's event and raised about $13,000, Brenda said.

"The money raised during the raffle enables us to pay for the jump, which enables us to give 100% of what we earn away to the families," Brenda said. "A reception is held after the jump and recipients get the money that day."

According to the Goodyear Lake Polar Bear Jump website, this year's recipients are: Troy Lutz of Oneonta, Braydon Decker of West Winfield, Frankie Castardi of Frankfort, Kieara Hoyt of Portlandville, Waylon Snellbaker of Stamford, Clara Baker of Sidney, Joshua Byma of Burlington Flatts and Hopeful Hearts.

To raise awareness about the jump, Goody the Polar Bear visited TP's Café in Stamford on Feb. 6, Brenda said. There, people could meet past and present recipients, she said.

According to The Daily Star archives, Brenda and Jamie started the jump in 1996, after making a trip to a similar event in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Since then, they have raised more than $1 million for local children in need of assistance with medical expenses. The couple live in Milford, and recipients come from a 45-mile radius around the Otsego County town.

The last year the jump was held, there were 200 participants and it raised about $130,000, a previous article said. All of the money raised is donated to the recipients picked each year.

Since the jump was started, there have been 333 recipients, Brenda said.

People can sign up until 11:30 a.m. the day of the jump, Brenda said. Registration will be held at the Portlandville Methodist Church on state Route 28 in Portlandville. People are encouraged to get sponsors and each jumper is expected to raise $100, the website said. Jumpers who raise $500 earn a sweatshirt.

For more information about the jump, visit pbjump.com.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.