{"id":212034,"date":"2025-12-30T21:30:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/212034\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T21:30:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:30:07","slug":"sarnia-new-years-day-polar-plunge-to-raise-mental-health-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/212034\/","title":{"rendered":"Sarnia New Year’s Day Polar Plunge to raise mental health awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Polar Plunge for mental health and addiction services awareness is set for New Year\u2019s Day at Sarnia\u2019s Canatara Park beach.<\/p>\n

Published Dec 30, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n

\"polarA crowd makes the plunge into the Bay of Fundy at Mispec Beach, Saint John, New Brunswick, on New Year’s Day 2024. Photo by Cindy Wilson \/Postmedia NetworkArticle content<\/p>\n

The Polar Plunge for mental health and addiction services awareness is set for New Year\u2019s Day at Sarnia\u2019s Canatara Park beach.<\/p>\n

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Plungers will gather at the beach, weather-permitting, at 11 a.m., said Nessa Nahmabin, who is organizing the event along with her partner, Trevor Beatty. She\u2019s a yoga teacher and he\u2019s a massage therapist. They are both part of the Sarnia Cold Plunge Community<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The annual New Year\u2019s Day plunge was initially organized by Southwest Counselling Services and the Sarnia Cold Plunge Community was asked recently to \u201ccarry on the torch,\u201d Nahmabin said.<\/p>\n

Last year, about 100 people showed up but \u201cI don\u2019t know what to expect\u201d this year \u201cjust because of the weather,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a little bit worried about that,\u201d Nahmabin said. \u201cEven if we go out and put our feet in, that\u2019s perfect enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participants are encouraged to make donations to Bluewater Health Addiction Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Nahmabin and Beatty started the local cold plunge group in 2022, meeting at Canatara Beach in the off-season Wednesdays at 7 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt started because we wanted to improve our own mental health,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first year, there were a few people that would show up here and there but we just kept doing it,\u201d Nahmabin said.<\/p>\n

Sessions begin with 10 minutes of guided breathing and then \u201cwe would push ourselves to stay in the lake for two minutes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the years, it has just grown and grown. There\u2019s about 20 of us that meet every single week and still jump in the lake,\u201d Nahmabin said. \u201cWe\u2019re past the two-minute mark now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The regular plunges begin around mid-September and \u201cwe do it as long as we can,\u201d often until the end of June, she said.<\/p>\n

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If the lake freezes over or there are days when conditions appear unsafe, the plunges don\u2019t go ahead, Nahmabin said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe decided collectively,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s really community driven.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyone joining the New Year\u2019s Day plunge is encouraged to \u201cbring a friend and wear something cozy,\u201d Nahmabin said. They should also bring a towel and a blanket to sit on for the guided breathing session before going in the water.<\/p>\n

The breathing \u201chelps us just warm up the body\u201d and get the blood circulating so \u201cit\u2019s not such a shock when we jump into the lake,\u201d Nahmabin said. \u201cIt really helps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those taking part say they\u2019ve noticed benefits from the practice, \u201cand we all experience them differently,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something you can continue doing in the new year, if you want to meet with us\u201d at the regular weekly sessions, she said. \u201cWe meet right beside the lifeguard building.\u201d<\/p>\n

pmorden@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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