Special Olympics Minnesota Plunge Hub Tracks Widespread Participation and Rapid Fundraising

The PlungeMN hub is a centralized 2026 portal showing active registrations, fundraising totals, leaderboards and location pages for dozens of local Polar Plunges. The site is maintained in real time through the. PlungeMN leaderboards already list teams raising amounts from $20 to more than $17,000, giving organizers and competitors an up-to-the-minute view of who’s leading statewide.

For more than a decade, Creed Interactive has partnered with Special Olympics Minnesota to build the platform behind the PlungeMN hub. Creed reports that the platform has quickly become the engine behind this statewide movement, raising over $5 million each year through more than 15,000 participants across 20+ events. Creed also lists year-over-year growth figures: “$6M+ in Pledges, up 7% / 23,000+ Registrations, up 10% / 110 Events, up 22% / 230,000 Website users, up 475%.” Ann Forstie, Senior Web Manager at SOMN, said, “At the end of the day, we want Plungers to have a great experience and feel connected to the mission. Creed helps make that happen. Their updates each year make signing up and fundraising feel simple, so people can stay focused on why they’re taking the Plunge.”

Local events are pacing up: Anoka County returns to Blaine for its Polar Plunge at Lakeside Commons Park on Saturday, February 28, marking the third year the county event has been held in Blaine, according to a BlaineMN posting from January 16, 2026. BlaineMN highlighted law enforcement and first responder involvement, writing, “Law enforcement plays an especially important role in the Polar Plunge. Their participation helps raise critical support for year-round training and competition opportunities for Special Olympics athletes. The involvement of police officers and first responders also sends a powerful message of unity, acceptance, and community partnership. Their willingness to take the plunge demonstrates their commitment to creating inclusive, supportive spaces for everyone.” BlaineMN added, “We invite you to be part of the movement - celebrating the abilities of all, supporting Special Olympics athletes, and fostering a legacy of inclusion in Blaine and beyond.”

Eden Prairie’s Polar Plunge will return Saturday, March 14, at Riley Lake Park, 9180 Riley Lake Road, with registration at 10:30 a.m. and plunging scheduled to start at noon. HometownSource reports the Eden Prairie event is in its 19th year; last year 551 participants raised $176,650, pushing the city’s cumulative fundraising past $2.3 million. As of early 2026, Eden Prairie had 265 people registered and $31,617 raised online, and Eden Prairie police staff will plunge as the “Subzero Heroes” team. HometownSource also notes food trucks and bonfires will be available, and that Minnesota ranks as the second-highest-grossing Law Enforcement Torch Run program globally.

The PlungeMN 2026 Leaderboard excerpt shows a wide spread of team totals and categories: $17,410 | Frozen Ice Holes; $10,153 | 04.FFL Fergus Falls Frozen Assets; $8,941 | 13.WDF Woodbury Blazing Stars; $11,776 | University of Minnesota; $5,221 | Whistle Binkies; $3,641 | State Pen Plungers; $1,518 | D&O Community Corrections; and $1,470 | City of Blaine, among many others. Those figures illustrate competitive fundraising across college, law enforcement, restaurant, and community team categories on the PlungeMN pages.

Momentum from these local plunges ties into a larger calendar: Minnesota will host the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games June 20–26 at the University of Minnesota and Blaine’s National Sports Center, with BlaineMN citing nearly 4,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers, and 75,000 fans competing across 19 sports. With leaderboards updating and events scheduled through March, teams can register, fundraise, and track standings via the PlungeMN portal as Polar Plunge season builds toward those summer games.

Sign up, donate, volunteer, or cheer on teams in Blaine, Eden Prairie, and dozens of other Minnesota plunge locations by using the PlungeMN hub to view active registrations, leaderboard standings, and local event pages.