Taking the plunge: CSC staff brave the cold for a good cause
Jumping into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in April is nobody’s idea of a pleasant swim. But for the past three years, it’s been a must for Correctional Trainer Martin Lamarche.
“It's cold, but when we plunge, we get up and we're good,” Martin says. “We're having fun, we’re laughing, we're in a good vibe.”
It’s all in support of Special Olympics Prince Edward Island, as staff and recruits at the National Training Satellite Academy (NTSA) in Summerside take the Polar Plunge in the spring to raise money for the local athletes. Martin first learned of this from a colleague and has helped organized CSC’s effort ever since.
In the fall, they also participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) for the same cause. Last year, over 30 recruits from the NTSA participated in this relay from Summerside to Charlottetown, over 60 km away.
Over the past three years, the team at the NTSA has raised over $5,000 for the Special Olympics through the Polar Plunge and LETR. This year, CSC was the second group to take the plunge as they raised the second most money in the province. Special Olympic athletes and fellow members of the PEI law enforcement community came out to watch Martin, Leon Doiron, Terry Lewis, Steve Gouthro and Danisa Jara head out into the gulf.
“Every time, we ask ourselves: Why are we doing this? Why? Like, why are we going to jump in the cold water?” Martin laughs. “But when we see all the law enforcement there, when we see all the athletes there, we understand why we're doing it.”
Because there is no CSC institution in PEI, Martin says many of the people in the community are not familiar with the work CSC does.
“Nobody knows who we are really because we are behind the wall. By doing something like that, it gave us good positive publicity,” he says. “And not only that, it gives a chance for our recruits to get involved in their community and get out and find something positive to do.”
Martin Lamarche, Leon Doiron, Terry Lewis, Steve Gouthro and Danisa Jara took the polar plunge in April. Since 2024, they have raised over $5,000 dollars for Special Olympics PEI.
Recruits only spend four months at the NTSA before they graduate and begin their careers elsewhere, making it challenging for CSC to become as integrated in the Summerside community as in other places. Events like the LETR and the Polar Plunge are some of the only opportunities they get to make connections in the community before leaving.
These events can serve as a jumping-off point for increased community involvement, as some recruits have begun playing basketball after class with the Special Olympic athletes they have met through them.
“Through these efforts, CSC’s involvement directly supports more than 800 Special Olympics athletes across Prince Edward Island, helping provide opportunities not only for sport, but also for improved health, confidence, inclusion, and leadership development,” says LETR co-chair Forrest Spencer. “Partnerships like this are incredibly important, and LETR is truly grateful for CSC’s ongoing involvement and support.”
By instilling this sense of community into new recruits, Martin hopes they will take it with them and participate in similar events across the country.
Having come from Quebec to be a trainer, Martin understands the challenges of finding community when you’re always moving around. For him, events supporting the Special Olympics benefit not only the athletes but also CSC as a whole and himself personally. Despite the frigid conditions, he has no plans to stop taking the plunge anytime soon.
“As long as I'm here, I'm going to.”
The frigid conditions off the coast of PEI in the spring can’t chill the enthusiasm of the NTSA staff.