Just a reminder that tomorrow, Saturday is the plunge. The actual plunge is at noon, while registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and awards presentation is at 11:15 a.m.

They present the awards prior to the noon plunge as the wet participants tend to disperse to warm up immediately following their exit from the Sound, we were told.

On January 29, Super Special Olympics athlete Zach Smith and his father Norm and the rest of their team will be "Freezin' For A Reason" as they run into the water on Alki Beach as participants of the annual Polar Plunge to raise money for the Special Olympics - Washington, organized by law enforcement throughout the state of Washington. Norm is VP of Athlete Experience, a new job title in the Special Olympics, and on the board of directors. It is a volunteer position.

Norm said that all board members taking the plunge promise to dress in pink and purple tutus. One year the guys wore coconut bras and grass skirts.

The Smiths plunged Columbia Park, Kennewick today, and will do so again at Redondo Beach in Puget Sound Feb. 14. They raise money as a team, involving other fundraisers who will plunge in unison.

Where and When is the Alki Beach Plunge?

The Alki Plunge is Saturday, January 29, 2011 at Alki Beach located at 2701 Alki Ave SW in Seattle.
Registration Opens 9:00 am
Presentation and Awards 11:15 am
Plunge 12:00 pm
Post-Plunge Party immediately following the Plunge in the Alki Beach Bathhouse.

How to Participate?

Each individual must raise a minimum of $50.00 to participate. Each individual that raises the
minimum $50.00 donation will receive an official Polar Plunge t-shirt, lunch and entry to the post-event
party. Collect pledges from family, friends and colleagues and win prizes. Individuals and teams may
register online and create a fundraising page at: www.sowa.org.

The West Seattle Herald has been following Norm and Zach since we helped publicize the "Over The Edge" Special Olympics Washington fundraiser and K2 Sports' involvement with that event last Aug. 14.

Here is that story: http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/08/13/news/update-100-rappel-rain…-

Over 100 participants rappelled 514 feet from the Rainier Tower, including Norm, who got in a bit of a pickle when a rope became entangled with his sleeve and arm. He landed safely after a slight delay. He has been a race car driver, has hunted dangerous game in Africa, and crashed an airplane in the African bush but said he is "deathly afraid of heights". Zach, on the other hand, had no problem rappelling, in tandem with a professional.

"Zach is a special Olympics athlete," Norm said proudly. "He had the right side of his brain removed at age 6 due to a disease and lost the use of his left side of the body. Special Olympics changed Zach's life. We're not just building athletes, but teaching them how to deal with greatness, loss, and each other. Some are so busy just trying to get through a day. For most of our athletes it's tough. The Special Olympics teaches them basic skill sets they're not getting anywhere else."

"I did it last year and the year before," said Zach, 24, about the Alki plunge event. He was born in West Seattle and raised in Renton. He has participated in Special Olympics Washington since age 7.

"It's helped me develop and advance my social skills," he said enthusiastically. "It has helped my physical abilities, and helps me gain a lot of confidence, and I have made a lot of friends.

"I work at Costco on the floor," Zach said. "I straighten shelves, collect cardboard boxes, and work the car wash. I'm just not allowed to operate a fork lift. It's a good paying job. I get to take my dad out to dinner and movies some times."

Patti Newman, a Lowman Beach resident, is on the Smiths' team. She and Norm are long-time friends and met as students at West Seattle High School.

"I'm doing this for Zach," Newman said with obvious fondness for him. She could not recall when Zach's father graduated WSHS.

"I never did," responded Norm with a wry smile. "They asked me to leave in my sophomore year, in 1972. I went to England and played professional soccer with Rotherham United. Three months later I tore my ACL and returned to work in my family's Alaska shipping business and on the pipeline."

He recounted a bizarre event that occurred during his turbulent days in high school here.

"They were taking class pictures and I happened to have my English Setter with me at school that day." (Don't ask.) I put him up on the chair instead of me and the photographer had a sense of humor and went along with it. My parents were all happy when the pictures arrived by mail because my mom had sent money for the whole package in advance. She opens it up. It's my damn dog. My mom was so crushed, and shocked. Like, who would mail those photos to your parents?"

To register for the Polar Plunge got to: www.sowa.org, or call (800) 752-7559, ext. 218.

You can sponsor the Smith's team if you go to: www.firstgiving.com. Then type in Norm Smith in the far upper right window.