More Fun and Frolic than Frigid - Winter Event a Huge Success

2011 Polar Plunge and Tuxedos and Tiaras

By Coral Popowitz, Executive Director of Children's Grief Connection

Well, to say a good time was had by all is a bit of an understatement that even these photos can’t fully express.  Our first annual (that’s right folks we had so much fun we’re going to do it again next year) Frigid Fun & Frolic was a huge success.  But you want to hear the stories behind the story???

The morning of March 5^th started out early when eight hardy Minnesotans showed up in their winter gear, cups of coffee steaming in one hand and various ‘ice’ tools in the other as Steve revved up the 36 inch blade with a magical ice cutting chain on his saw and went to work cutting through the 32 inches on Lake Waconia outside Lola’s Lakehouse.  Several hours later, and a mountain of ‘ice cubes’ placed by forklift, water – ice cold water – was rippling as the sun began to shine and the 2011 Polar Plungers began showing up, getting their t-shirts (and courage) on.  Promptly at 11am the mighty team of 25 made their way on the ice, but photos first, oh and the plunge was halted temporarily TO SCRAPE THE ICE OFF THE JUST CUT HOLE IN THE WATER!!  Once the shards of ice were cleared, one by one, with cheers and applause the plungers made their way into the freezing water, some hesitated, some back-flipped, cannon-balled and even belly flopped.  Some wore tiaras (in honor of the day, more on that later) or shorts and t-shirts (tie-dyed of course) or footie pajamas zipped to the neck, there was even a squad of the shirtless, local guys who saw our poster the night before and showed up, made a huge donation and removed one item off their bucket list. (We love those guys) 

No matter what they wore or how they went in to the water, EVERYONE was cold, and at the same time, warmed, by the spirit of those who came out and for the reason we were all there on a cold winter morning – to help grieving children.  An incredible $16,000+ was raised, far surpassing last year’s incredible goal and enough to fund an entire Hearts of Hope camp and teen retreat!  So who’s in for next year??????? 

With just enough time to warm up and get in a quick nap the day was far from over as the “elegant” part of Frigid Fun and Frolic was about to begin.  At Hubert’s in Target Center for the Tuxedos and Tiaras elegant pub crawl, the tuxedo t-shirts were lined up next to the rows and rows of tiaras ready for the ‘frolickers’ to begin.  Once tiaras were in place, corsages pinned on, a giant balloon arch awaited  a special ‘Prom Photo’ opportunity that no one missed.  

Once the crowd had gathered the announcement and crowning of the 2011 Frigid Fun and Frolic King and Queen Tim and Jenny Hoff was met with cheers especially after his royal proclamation to eat, drink and be merry.  When the King finished his proclamation request it was time to proceed, parade and promenade down First Avenue to the next royal establishment. O’Donovan’s doors were open for our grand entrance as once again the King proclaimed the establishment royal, the libations ready and the merrymaking continued.  Each stop and proclamation brought treasures to anyone lucky enough (these were Irish pubs after all) to have their name drawn (and nearly everyone was lucky) from the King’s treasure chest.  The frolicking commenced one more time as the bling-adorned throng made their way to the last stop of the evening, Kieran’s Irish Pub.  

  

Settling in, the King again proclaimed a royal thank you to all who made the night so regal and decreed the Imperial Auction begin.  Auctioneers Sal and Steve stepped up to entertain the crowd but not before everyone was reminded once again of why the evening was so important – one phone call – during all the last minute preparing and planning – from a bereaved mom – who’s little boy needed to come to camp –his daddy had died and she needed our help.  Thanks to the efforts and participation of the day’s event this mom and her little boy would be getting the help they needed.  

 

After hearing and being reminded of what the evening was all about the auction was amazing, with trips, sports tickets, hotel stays and even a personal song written (our King and Queen won this item and requested the songwriter attend and write the song about Hearts of Hope!).  Kieran’s managers donated a one-of-a-kind Guinness mountain bike AND an evening out with a charming Irishmen brought in four times the original ‘value’ !  The evening, the day, turned out to be more fun and frolic than frigid and helped raise over $22,000 to keep Hearts of Hope Camp and Teen Retreat going strong and provided free for all Minnesota’s grieving children.  You won’t want to miss out next year. 

Life is Precious, Even After Death

As appeared in the January issue of the MFDA Bulletin.

By Jerry J. Brown, Friend of the Funeral Service community and
a member of the Children's Grief Connection Board of Directors. 

In death, the life of one-beloved will never really leave the hearts and minds of those who forever reflect, remember, commune and revisit with tenderness, smiles and tears as the soft and filtered visions ebb and flow.

The sanctity of a life lived in quintessential kindness, elegance and love must be honored and revered in the mode and manner of the life incarnate.

The rites, rituals, traditions and ceremonies embodied in THE FUNERAL have prevailed since the dawn of humankind. Although many forms of funeralization have metamorphosed, returned and morphed again with the relentless “March of the Millennia,” one phenomenon endures and transcends the shock, paralysis and sadness evoked by the death of one beloved. . . simply, to finally say “goodbye” with the love, gratitude and respect commensurate with the life now stilled forever.

Ergo, in the context of a changing profile vis-à-vis, the funeral experience, we now must deal with the emergence of “Home/Do It Yourself Funerals.” These are people who decry the need for licensed, certified college graduates who comprise the legions of Funeral Professionals and maintain that “THEY” – the uninformed and unprepared can “Go Green!” and, with slabs of dry ice, candelabras, boom-box background funeral tunes and post-visitation coffee and cookies, can orchestrate, choreograph and conduct home funerals – sans licensed professionals – with all of the panache, pomp and circumstance of a real funeral (health hazards notwithstanding) and professional licenses be damned.

Personally, I would like to ask these same “green wannabe undertakers” a question or two:

- Would you consider hopping into an airplane if the pilot (driver) had never

flown before and had no FAA license?

- Would you go to a cardiologist who was still “just practicing” and had never been to med school and thought the Hippocrates Oath was a swear word?

- Would you enroll in a series of college courses where the professors had never finished the 6th grade?

Would you go to a plastic surgeon that had never advanced beyond “playdough”?

Would you sign up for golf lessons if the instructor was a SUMU wrestler?

Doubtful!

NOTE: Stay with what you know and get the licensed funeral professional to care for your beloved.

2011 Polar Plunge Videos