Ed. note: The Subzero Heroes event in Highland, NY, planned for Saturday, February 7, has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 7 due to weather.

It’s no secret that the weather has been affecting all of us recently. Between the snow, the ice and the insanely cold temps, everyone (even my dog) has been a little on edge. Lately, it’s been tough to keep up with the cancelations, postponements and scheduling conflicts, so it came as no surprise that many events in the Upper Delaware converged last week, leaving me with little choice but to choose.

On separate slips of paper, I wrote “Roscoe Beer Winterfest” (always a blast); “Wally Ice Fest” (been a while since I’ve been to Hawley, PA); “Daytime Disco” (I won’t dance, don’t ask me) at the DVAA; “Livingston Manor Rotary Ice Carnival” (no shortage of talent, nor ice this year); and the “Polar Bear Plunge” in White Lake. I put them all into a knit cap, shook it around and reached in, retrieving the White Lake event, just down the road from Camp Fox. Go figure!

Leaving the dog at home, (she’s from Cuba for crying out loud!) I bundled up, put cleats on my boots and strode onto the ice, confident but cold, to chat with those brave enough to take the plunge in the name of raising money for Alzheimer’s disease research, assistance and a cure.

I stopped Team Strike Out Alz (they jump in the lake dressed as bowling pins!) Captain  Terry Grafmuller, to ask some pertinent questions.

“For the third year in a row, we’re working with the White Lake Fire Department to put on this event.” Grafmuller said. “The Polar Bear Plunge is [in conjunction with] next Saturday’s event, called “Sub-Zero Heroes,” in Highland, NY, now in its 16th year. Currently, more than six million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. We must come together to change the course, and ultimately, find a cure.”

When asked, Grafmuller explained his deep connection to the tragedy of Alzheimer’s disease, which includes the untimely death of a best friend, and relatives who have succumbed to the illness.

“It’s a terrible, terrible disease, and I’ve watched my family and friends go through more pain than those afflicted. We know what they don’t know.” Grafmuller explained, saying that “the number of people affected “goes far beyond” those who are affected by Alzheimer’s directly.

These events raise money for a variety of things: research, assistance and helping families. “The majority of hours spent with a person with Alzheimer’s are unpaid hours, provided by the family.”

Glancing at the signage, I was reminded that this event is formally known as the Susan Bunce Memorial Sullivan Freeze for the Cure Polar Bear Jump Fundraiser, and I asked him about that.

“A while ago, Sue Bunce (who passed away in 2024) and I [realized] that between the counties participating in this event, Sullivan is the smallest, and we wanted to do something here that would share what’s going on down the road in Highland next week. So we started this event with the incredible support of the White Lake Fire Department.” 

Now in its third year, and with the help of local teams, including other firefighters from different towns, the Freeze for the Cure brings in thousands of much needed, deeply appreciated dollars every time these (crazy) folks take the plunge.

Last year alone, Grafmuller’s team raised over $23,000 for the cause. “The jumping order is based on how much money is raised by teams, so the more money raised, the less time one spends standing outside shivering. And with the help of mighty little Sullivan County,” he added, “I’m confident that we’ll be jumping first next week. Sullivan is like the ‘little engine that could.’ We’re the smallest county and we raise more money than Westchester and Dutchess and Orange.”

Another jumper, Jaimie Schmeiser, “double dips,” sticking far more than a toe in the frigid water for both Grafmuller’s Strike Out Alz team and SUNY Sullivan’s Brain Freeze Brigade. 

“I’ve been jumping for years now,” said Schmeiser, who serves as SUNY’s Director of Workforce Development. “I believe that raising money for research and a cure is incredibly important. I have an aunt who has Alzheimer’s,” she shared, “and it’s a cause that’s near and dear to my heart. And I’m crazy,” she said with a laugh.

Callicoon’s Marcia Fink has also been taking the plunge in Sullivan County since its inception. “My husband John and I have been coming to these events, starting in Highland, since 2012, so this is my 14th year.”

“I do this because my mother had Alzheimer’s,” Fink explained. “She had it for a very long time, more than 12 years. I miss her every day, and I know she’s looking down on me, and would be proud, because this issue is really dear to my heart,” she said, echoing Schmeiser’s sentiment.

Surprised to see gal-pal Tameka Harris nearby, I grabbed her for a minute to ask how she wound up jumping into White Lake, where the outside temperature was 11 degrees Fahrenheit, and the water clocked in at a lovely 34 degrees. 

“Pastor Seth Switzer [Monticello’s Restoration Church] sent me a text that began with ‘no pressure,’ explained what was happening, and I woke up this morning and chose insanity,” Harris said with a grin. When asked if she had a personal connection to the cause, Harris said, “No, I’m simply here to support. I love to support. If it’s a good cause, I’m in.” 

Advising Tameka that “once you take the plunge, you’re a jumper forever,” she nodded. “I know, I know,” she said with a laugh. “That’s it. I’m getting my Polar Bear Plunge card stamped today.”

All told, more than 20 brave souls made the leap and took the plunge, all in the name of raising funds and awareness, including teams representing JJJ Accommodations and the Smallwood-Mongaup Valley Fire Department.

All the while, I stood nearby taking pics, cheering them on, happy to have an excuse to not brave the insanely cold temps and make the leap myself. After all, someone’s gotta capture their lunacy for posterity, right? Brrr! 

Terry Grafmuller’s SubZero Heroes will be taking the plunge again (again!) on Saturday, March 7. To make a donation, go to  www.events.alz.org/fundraisers/terencegrafmuller/subzero-heroes.  

Fun Fact: “I Won’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me” is a song written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otis Harbach.