FAQs
Beary White has you covered!
The MSP Polar Bear Plunge is chalked full of exciting opportunities. Beary wants to make sure that you have all of the answers leading up to January. If there is something that you have a question about that is not listed below, shoot us a message at events@somd.org.
COVID-19
As you can imagine there are many variables to consider in planning what will be the first socially distant Plunge. In order to accommodate everyone who wants to “plunge” in-person, we might need to host the Plunge over three days (January 29th-31st), depending on the amount of in-person Plungers. Please refer to our COVID-19 Protocols page for up-to-date information and event details.
Due to COVID-19 there will NOT be any of the following at the 2021 Plunge:
- Vendors
- Festival Tents
- Live Music
- Food or Beverage Sold
- Tailgating
- Merchandise Sales
- Restrooms
- Changing Tents
- Onsite Registration
No one except registered In-Person Plungers and event staff will be allowed on the beach for the 2021 Plunge to ensure the health and safety of our participants.
You don’t need to buy parking passes for the 2021 Plunge. No one will need a parking pass to enter Sandy Point State Park. Please see the In-Person Plunge Walkthrough section on our COVID-19 Protocols page for more information.
Resgistration
** Please disregard the section below your Order Summary that mentions the Maryland Plunge being held on 1/29/2021 at 9:00 AM. This is auto-populated by the event software and is not accurate based on your registration option. All In-Person Plungers will receive a scheduling link to select their Plunge time on 12/1/20.
When you register for a Registration with a Fundraising event, we’ll automatically generate a fundraising page for you so friends and family can donate. This support article will walk you through how to purchase a registration and claim your fundraising page. Please follow these directions when signing up for the Plunge on our Classy fundraising page.
After you create a fundraising page, you can edit its details and personalize the content. Learn how to edit your personal fundraising page. Learn more here!
Read this article and review tips from Classy about logging into your fundraising page.
Learn how to change your password or reset a forgotten password here!
When you create an account in Classy, you’ll enter contact information such as your name and email. Learn how to edit the contact information for your Classy account. Learn more here!
When you fundraise for an organization using Classy, you can create a fundraising team and invite other supporters of the organization to combine your efforts. Learn how to create a fundraising team here!
After you create a team fundraising page, you can edit its details and personalize the content. Learn how to edit your team fundraising page. Learn more here!
When you create a team fundraising page, you can invite others to join your team. Learn how to invite team members. Learn more here!
Yes. This just needs to be done on the administrative side, so in order to request such a change, please email plunge@somd.org with the following info:
- Participant's first and last name
- The exact name of the team you wish to join
- If applicable, the team you currently belong to You may also call 410-242-1515 and ask to speak to a Plunge representative who can make the change.
If you simply want to let us know that you are no longer attending, there is no need. We expect a certain % of no-shows each year and plan accordingly. If you paid the minimum $75 contribution to Special Olympics Maryland, we appreciate the donation, as do the SOMD athletes who will benefit from the funds raised at the MSP Polar Bear Plunge. Because it is a charitable contribution, it is non-refundable even if you are unable to participate.
Donations & Fundraising
Teams are not required to raise any specific amount. However, every team member still must raise a minimum of $75 to Plunge.
There really isn’t a set level for teams, as we have some teams of two that raise $30,000 and some teams of 50 that only raise $3,750. We ask that everyone raise at least $75 per person (our fundraising minimum - $50 for Cool Schools), but the more you raise the more you support the 8,033 athletes of Special Olympics Maryland. Additionally, reaching higher incentive levels unlocks new incentives! Check out all our incentives here: https://plungemd.com/fundraising/incentives/
Learn how to resend yourself a receipt as a supporter of an organization using Classy here!
Special Olympics Maryland or “SOMD”. Include in the memo area of the check the Plunger's name or the name of the team that is to be credited.
A site administrator from our office has to move that for you. Requests can also be emailed to plunge@somd.org with the following info:
- Donor's first and last name
- The donation amount you wish moved
- Where you want the donation moved to either your team name or another participant
Once completed, SOMD will send a confirmation email indicating the change has been made.
Donors can do one of the following:
- Call SOMD at 410-242-1515 and make a donation via the phone using a major credit card
- Write a check for Special Olympics Maryland or SOMD and mail it to:
- Special Olympics Maryland
Attn: 2020 Plunge
3701 Commerce Drive, Suite 103
Baltimore, MD 21227 - Include in the memo area of the check the Plunger's name or the name of the team that is to be credited.
- Allow at least 5 business days from the date that the check arrives at SOMD for the donation amount to be reflected in a participant's online fundraising total.
- Special Olympics Maryland
- Drop off the donation to SOMD Headquarters at the above address
Donations to the Plunge are accepted year-round, but to qualify for incentives you must have your donation submitted/mailed by February 25, 2020. They can be mailed or delivered to:
Special Olympics Maryland
Attn: 2019 Plunge
3701 Commerce Drive, Suite 103
Baltimore, MD 21227
Include the Plunger's name or the name of the team that is to be credited.
Donations to the Plunge are accepted year-round, but to qualify for incentives you must have your donation submitted/mailed by February 25, 2020 and simply need to be mailed or delivered to:
Special Olympics Maryland
Attn: 2019 Plunge
3701 Commerce Drive, Suite 103
Baltimore, MD 21227
Charitable contributions are non-refundable, and the minimum Plunge registration fee is considered a charitable contribution and is therefore also non-refundable.
As a donor, you're able to cancel your recurring donation via your Supporter Dashboard. Learn how to access your Supporter Dashboard and cancel your recurring donation. Learn more here!
Donations will not appear on a Plungers page until SOMD Plunge staff received and enters the donation online.
Special Olympics Maryland is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. To claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes, please keep your email donation receipt as your official record. We'll send it to you upon successful completion of your donation.
Yes. Complete a request with your employer, and they will send us your donation information to verify. Once we receive the funds, we will apply the donation to your fundraising page. Not sure if your company matches gifts? Click here to find out!
Thanking your donors is crucial and Classy allows for an easy user experience to thank your supporters. Learn more here!
After you create a fundraising page, you can post updates to keep your donors engaged with your progress. Learn how to post updates to your fundraising page. Learn more here!
Sharing your fundraising page is easy and critical to reaching your fundraising goal. Learn about the different sharing options available to you as a fundraiser. Learn more here!