Participants can take a New Year\u2019s Day plunge in Corpus Christi Bay to raise funds for ALS research, with prizes for top fundraisers and teams.<\/p>\n
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 Start 2026 with a splash at the annual Polar Bear Plunge and Run at North Beach, benefiting the ALS Therapy Development Institute.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event kicks off today at 11 a.m., with on-site registration at 10:45 a.m. at Fajitaville, 221 S. Hotel Place.<\/p>\n
Participants will run along the North Beach beach walk and take a plunge in Corpus Christi Bay to raise awareness and funds for ALS, a neurological disorder that affects motor neurons<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Prizes will be awarded to the top fundraising team and the individual who raises the most.<\/p>\n Organizer Alissa Mejia started the event 11 years ago after her father was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. “It’s a disease that currently doesn’t have a cure or even a great treatment. It’s fatal, and it just felt like doing something,” Mejia said. She added that the event brings the community together and is also a lot of fun.<\/p>\n As of Thursday, 200 participants had signed up, with a goal to raise $150,000 in the event’s history. Donations can also be made online to support ALS research.<\/p>\n Mejia encourages everyone to join the warm-up fun run along the beach starting at 11:15 a.m., calling it a great way to kick off the new year with movement and community spirit.<\/p>\n To make a donation online, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n