Otter Tail County Polar Plunge Raises Over $100,000, Draws Over 250

More than 250 people plunged into Otter Tail Lake, raising more than $107,000 in pledges and donations for Special Olympics Minnesota during the Otter Tail County Polar Plunge on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. The event, presented by the Law Enforcement Torch Run, drew jumpers and spectators to the Perham/Ottertail area as organizers tallied this year’s totals.

Seasonable temperatures hovered around 30 degrees as the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office and the Otter Tail Lakes Country Association coordinated logistics on the lakefront site. The sheriff’s office posted on its Facebook page after the event, saying, “We are thrilled with the impressive turnout. Our gratitude goes to the volunteers, jumpers, and charitable donors who contributed to the Special Olympics!” The Law Enforcement Torch Run was described by organizers as volunteers dedicated to increasing awareness and funding for Special Olympics Minnesota athletes.

The 2026 totals marked a clear uptick from 2025, when 182 plungers raised $82,243. Organizers reported the 2026 field at roughly 250 participants and a fundraising haul that exceeded $100,000, with the most specific figure available at more than $107,000 in pledges and donations.

Top fundraisers listed on the Polar Plunge website showed strong community and team efforts. The Special Olympics Minnesota delegation Fergus Falls Frozen Assets led with $23,987, followed by New York Mills Boat Crew (NYM Boat Crew) at $10,483 and individual fundraiser Eugene Boyce at $9,276. Small businesses and local organizations contributed major amounts: Vector Windows raised $9,071, Finley’s Ottertail raised $8,061, and My Kind Of Bank raised $5,814. Law enforcement teams also posted significant totals, with the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office at $5,074 and Otter Tail County Probation at $2,237. Other entries included Big Tail Ice Breakers at $6,503, Underwood School at $1,313, and the 04 PER Perham Area Special Olympic Team at $3,360. The Polar Plunge website showed no entries in the medium corporation (250-500 employees), college/university, or restaurant categories for 2026.

Event organizers have highlighted a longer-term fundraising trajectory for the Otter Tail Plunge, noting that the effort “has now raised more than $332,000 for Special Olympics Minnesota,” although the posting did not define the timeframe for that cumulative figure. Looking back, the plunge’s growth is visible: in 2023, 175 plungers raised $75,100, meeting a $75,000 goal and eclipsing the prior year’s $70,935.

Presenting and coordinating partners for the 2026 plunge remained the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, and the Otter Tail Lakes Country Association, with proceeds directed to Special Olympics Minnesota. Organizers posted the detailed fundraiser breakdown on the Polar Plunge website and the sheriff’s office followed up on social media; the event’s rising participation and dollars underscore expanding local support for Special Olympics athletes in Otter Tail County.