Special Olympics Florida to hold Orlando Polar Plunge in support of 80,000 athletes
The 16th annual event calls on teams and individuals in Central Florida to ‘get cold, be bold’ and dive into the waters of Aquatica Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026
TWO ONE, ONE. OKAY, THAT’S JAY AND ME RIGHT THERE GIVING EACH OTHER THE HIGH FIVE. OKAY, GET READY TO JUMP INTO SOME COLD FUN FOR A GREAT CAUSE. THE ORLANDO POLAR PLUNGE IS COMING BACK BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. SHOULD I SAY COLDER THAN EVER? RIGHT. ALL PART OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. FLORIDA MISSION TO HELP PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES REALLY ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. YEAH. HERE WITH US NOW TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN MAKE A SPLASH THAT MATTERS. WE HAVE SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER MAGGIE MCLEAN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. MEAGHAN AND ASHLEY. ASHLEY. ASHLEY, WELCOME. THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY, SO. MEGAN, IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE FEEL LIKE PEOPLE KNOW ALL ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA. AND ESPECIALLY WITH MAYOR ON THE BOARD. I’VE BEEN PART OF SOME OF THESE EVENTS LIKE POLAR PLUNGE YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND SOME OF THE GALA EVENTS. BUT THERE THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE. TELL US ALL ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA. SO SPECIAL FLORIDA IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS YEAR ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION TO PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. SO WE OFFER 27 DIFFERENT SPORTS. SO WE REALLY HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. YEAH. AND IN ADDITION TO THE SPORTS PROGRAMING, WE ALSO OFFER FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS TO OUR ATHLETES AND REALLY IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO HELP THEM IN THEIR LIVES. THAT’S WONDERFUL. ASHLEY JOINING US WEARING HER MEDAL. AND ASHLEY, ALSO A GLOBAL MESSENGER, WHICH IS REALLY KIND OF GET GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS TO YOU. SO TELL US ABOUT JUST YOUR EXPERIENCE AND ALL THE SPORTS THAT YOU DO. WELL, THE EXPERIENCE IS BREATHTAKING BECAUSE EVERY TIME YOU GO ON THE COURT, YOU’RE REPRESENTING A YOUR COUNTY, BUT ALSO REPRESENTING SPECIAL OLYMPICS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND ALSO THE WORLD, BECAUSE THERE’S SO MANY BRANCHES THAT WE COMPETE WITH. WITH ME, WHEN I COMPETE, I JUST THINK WHAT MY MOM TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I FIRST COMPETED IN VOLLEYBALL. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, LEAVE AT THE DOOR. WHEN YOU COME IN TO COMPETITION. YOU’RE JUST THERE TO HAVE FUN. AND IF YOU GET A MEDAL, GREAT. IF YOU DON’T, OH WELL, YOU GUYS CAN GO BACK AND GET IT AGAIN. YEAH, BUT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS DEFINITELY SEEING THE NEWER, NEWER GENERATION COME IN. I’VE BEEN DOING THIS UP TO NOW FOR THIS YEAR WILL BE MY 19TH YEAR NOW COMPETING THIS SEEING THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THE EIGHTH, WHO’S EIGHT YEARS OLD, COMING IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS OR FIRST TIME GETTING A CHANCE TO GO STATE IN ORLANDO OR IN SEBASTIAN FOR SWIMMING. AND IT’S AWESOME TO SEE THEIR EYES LIGHT UP WHEN THEY SEE A LOT. COMPETITION. YEAH, THAT’S GREAT. AND ASHLEY, I’M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A RUNDOWN OF VOLLEYBALL SPORTS, SWIMMING AND CORNHOLE. WE LOVE THIS. YEAH, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS HERE. WHAT IS IT FOR YOU? AND I KNOW YOU’VE KIND OF TOLD US, BUT THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ATHLETE. WELL, THAT’S HARD, BECAUSE I’VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG. BUT THE BEST PART IS FOR ME IS SEEING ATHLETES WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A STATE GAMES IN ORLANDO, AND DEFINITELY WHEN THEY HAVE THE TORCH RUN THAT WE HAVE, AND I HAVE TO SAY THINGS TO THEM, BUT ALSO THINGS TO YOU GUYS WHO ARE SUPPORTING US 100%. JUST SEEING THE KIDS EYES GET HUGE WHEN THEY HAVE THE DJ’S OUT PARTYING, BUT THEN THE TORCH RUN, COME IN CARRYING THE POLICE, CARRYING OUR TORCH AND HELPING US LIGHT THE TORCH TO TELL US HEY, GAMES HAS BEGUN FOR US AND HAVING THE KIDS HAVE A GREAT TIME AND MEETING OTHER ATHLETES FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND COUNTIES. SO IT’S PRETTY COOL. THAT’S AWESOME. ASHLEY. WELL, ONE OF THE BIG EVENTS IS THE POLAR PLUNGE THIS WEEKEND ELICITS DJ. DJ COMPANIES ARE FUNDRAISING. WHY WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND ENJOY AND COME TO COME TAKE THE PLUNGE? YEAH, EVERYBODY SHOULD COME TAKE THE PLUNGE BECAUSE IT’S REALLY JUST A GIANT POOL PARTY. THERE’S MUSIC AND DANCING AND COSTUMES AND PRIZES FOR THE BEST COSTUMES, BUT AT ITS HEART, IT’S A FUNDRAISER FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE OFFER IS AT NO COST TO THE ATHLETE OR THEIR FAMILIES. SO IT’S OUT AT AQUATICA THIS SATURDAY. LOVE IT. OKAY, IF ANYONE IS WATCHING RIGHT NOW, THEY WANT MORE INFORMATION. WHERE CAN THEY GO TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE PLUNGE? THEY CAN GO TO S O F L POLAR PLUNGE.ORG. PERFECT. OKAY. WE HAVE SOME AERIAL VIEWS THERE. AND YOU GOT TO SEE IT REALLY IS JUST AN AWESOME POOL PARTY. SO WE’LL BE THERE. AND WHAT TIMES THE PLUNGE 10:00 AM. OKAY. IT ALL STARTS THEN MY FRIENDS, FOR THE TIMES THAT WE NEED TO BE THERE TO HELP HIM SEE IT. AND THEN JUST GO HOPING FOR A WARM MORNING. RIGHT GUYS? BECAUSE I KNOW THE WATER IS GOING TO BE COLD. THANK YOU SO MUCH ASHLEY. MEGAN, THANKS FOR JOINING U
Special Olympics Florida to hold Orlando Polar Plunge in support of 80,000 athletes
The 16th annual event calls on teams and individuals in Central Florida to ‘get cold, be bold’ and dive into the waters of Aquatica Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026
Updated: 10:08 AM EST Feb 9, 2026
Special Olympics Florida is preparing to host the 16th Annual Orlando Polar Plunge in support of 80,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities or a similar developmental disability.The event calls on teams and individuals in Central Florida to “get cold, be bold” and dive into the waters of Aquatica Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.Special Olympics Florida chief operating officer Meghan McLean and athlete, Ashley Allwood, join WESH 2 to preview the event.WESH 2’s Meredith McDonough and Jason Guy will return as event emcees.All proceeds benefit Special Olympic Florida’s mission to provide of fitness training, education and athletic competition — along with with social, life, and leadership skill development opportunities — for children and adults, according to the organization’s website. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Special Olympics Florida is preparing to host the 16th Annual Orlando Polar Plunge in support of 80,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities or a similar developmental disability.
The event calls on teams and individuals in Central Florida to “get cold, be bold” and dive into the waters of Aquatica Orlando on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
Special Olympics Florida chief operating officer Meghan McLean and athlete, Ashley Allwood, join WESH 2 to preview the event.
WESH 2’s Meredith McDonough and Jason Guy will return as event emcees.
All proceeds benefit Special Olympic Florida’s mission to provide of fitness training, education and athletic competition — along with with social, life, and leadership skill development opportunities — for children and adults, according to the organization’s website.