Dive into the Chill: Canadian Geographic Hosts Polar Plunge Charity Event to Support the Explore Podcast

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 29, 2024 /CNW/ - In a bold celebration of Canadian winter spirit, Canadian Geographic is thrilled to announce the 3rd annual Polar Plunge Charity Event, set to take place across the country on March 3 and 4th, 2023. This icy extravaganza invites participants to take a chilly dip for a cause, raising funds to support Canadian Geographic's Explore podcast hosted by former CBC and NPR journalist David McGuffin.

Alexandra Pope, Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Geographic magazine, takes the Polar Plunge in 2023.Photo credit; Jill Heinerth (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Geographical Society)

Honorary President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Chief Perry Bellegarde, taking the Polar Plunge in 2023. Photo credit; Jill Heinerth (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Geographical Society)

Polar Plunge Calgary (CNW Group/Royal Canadian Geographical Society)

Plungers have signed up from coast to coast to coast in provinces and territories  including British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Québec and Nunavut. They will be plunging into the chilly waters of the Arctic Ocean, North Saskatchewan River, the Bow River, Great Slave Lake, Lake Ontario, and Meech Lake amongst rivers, lakes and oceans across the country.

The Polar Plunge Charity Event aims to combine the thrill of winter with a commitment to preserving Canada's unique natural beauty through independent journalism. Celebrity plungers include Honorary President of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society Perry Bellegarde, former federal Environment Minister and RCGS Fellow Catherine McKenna, Explorers and RCGS Fellows James Raffan and Laval St. Germain, RCGS Explorers-in-Residence Jill Heinerth and Mario Rigby and a major group of more than 30 participants from Cold Dip Calgary with the President of RCGS and former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Lois Mitchell in attendance at Bowness Park, in Calgary. 

Event Details: CALGARY

• Date: Sunday, March 3, 2024
• Time: 12:30 p.m. introductions of special guests and cold dipping at 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Bowness Park, Calgary
• Contact: Cold Dip Calgary Volunteer Rani-lill [phone]

Event Details: TORONTO

• Date: Monday, March 4, 2024
• Time: 11:00 a.m.
• Location: Sir Casimir Gzowski Park (just west of Sunnyside Park) meeting at Sir Casimir Gzowski Memorial (monument in park)
• Contact: Sarah Legault, VP Philanthropy, RCGS [email protected] (416) 277- 4341

Funds raised during the event will directly contribute to Canadian Geographic's Explore Podcast whose biweekly episodes with the world's leading explorers  frequently charts in the top 10 on Apple podcasts in Canada and around the worldThe Polar Plunge Charity Event serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding Canada's rich natural heritage for future generations through Canada's #1 paid magazine and its top rated podcast..

"We're thrilled to take part in the Polar Plunge Charity Event as a fun and impactful way for Canadians to come together in support of independent journalism that features interviews with many of the greatest Canadian leaders protecting the planet," says David McGuffin, Host of Canadian Geographic's Explore podcast. "This event embodies the spirit of adventure and commitment to conservation that defines our organization."

Cold water immersion, also known as cold plunging, is a tradition in several cultures around the world and is known for its health benefits including improved circulation, lower stress, blood pressure, pain relief and the prevention of common illnesses. It is practiced in Latin America and the Caribbean, by Indigenous Peoples across North America, in Japan, Finland, and several Nordic countries.

Registration for the Polar Plunge Charity Event is now open online, where participants can sign up, create fundraising pages, and learn more about the event. Canadian Geographic welcomes everyone to join in this icy adventure and make a splash for a greener future.

About Canadian Geographic:

Canadian Geographic is Canada's #1 paid magazine with a reach of 4.2M people online and in print each month. Canadian Geographic has published continuously since 1929. It is a trusted source of information on both the human and physical geography that defines Canada. Canadian Geographic's parent, the charitable Royal Canadian Geographical Society is one of Canada's oldest educational charities with a network of 27,000 teachers that use its classroom resources to reach 750,000 students across the country.

SOURCE Royal Canadian Geographical Society

For media inquiries, please contact: Rosemary Thompson (Ottawa), Vice President Communications and Marketing, Royal Canadian Geographical Society, [phone], [email protected]; Roni-lil Shapka (Calgary), Member of the Calgary Cold Dip, [phone], [email protected]