Fundraiser Participants Bracing for Frigid Ocean Plunge at Colin’s Crew Polar Dip on Saturday in West Haven

Freezin’ for a Reason event to help send more families to Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (February 16, 2015) – Participants in Saturday’s fourth annual  Colin’s Crew Polar Dip will plunge into the frigid Atlantic Ocean to raise money to send more families to Camp Sunshine.

The Feb 21 fundraising event will test the mettle of the polar plungers who gather on the beach at the Savin Rock Conference Center, located off CT-162W in southern Connecticut at 6 Rock Street in West Haven. Registration begins at noon with the plunge set for 2 p.m.

Camp Sunshine is a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Maine for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Colin’s Crew Polar Dip partners with TeamRaiser, a popular online fundraising platform, to make it easier to participate. To donate online, form or join a team, visit http://www.freezinforareason.com  For more information, call (207) 655-3800.

Organizers have set a goal to raise $35,000 – enough to send almost 20 Connecticut families to Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org). Each participant who raises at least $100 in pledges for Camp Sunshine will receive a coveted “I DID IT!” t-shirt.

Colin’s Crew was inspired by friends and family of a Wallingford boy named Colin who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in October 2009, just days after his second birthday.

“Colin’s Crew deserves a ton of credit for making a difference,” said Michael Smith, Camp Sunshine’s Director of Special Events. “The reality of this event is that the discomfort our plungers feel for just a moment will never compare to what our families go through during the course of their child’s illness.”

Nestled alongside the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed on them on a daily basis.

The year-round program is free of charge and each session is staffed with the assistance of 80 volunteers.  It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine is a year-round retreat, which provides respite, support, joy, and hope to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families through various stages of a child’s illness. The program is free of charge to all families, and includes 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support. Bereavement groups are also offered for families who have lost a child to an illness. To support Camp Sunshine, call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

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Here is more news and information about Camp Sunshine