Eastern Washington Football Raises Money For Special Olympics

Video Story by Rick Lukens (www.lukensatlarge.com)

Led by Student-Athlete Advisory Committee secretary Aaron Neary, 24 players/staff take part in plunge, including head coach Beau Baldwin

Even Eastern Washington University football coach Beau Baldwin took a frosty dip.

A total of 24 EWU Football players and staff took part in last Saturday’s (Feb. 22) Polar Plunge in Liberty Lake after helping raise $3,100 for Special Olympics Washington. For the second-straight year, the Eagles were recognized with an award as the event’s top fundraising school.

The group’s efforts were led by offensive guard Aaron Neary, the secretary of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at EWU. Baldwin, who showed up just to watch, was moved by the efforts of his players that he too jumped into the frigid waters.

Student-athletes from Eastern’s football program manned telephones at KHQ Television in Spokane on Feb. 8, and for every $50 that was pledged, an Eastern player was “rewarded” with a plunge into the frigid waters of Liberty Lake on Saturday, Feb. 22.

EWU Athletics and its student-athletes have participated in the Polar Plunge annually since 2012, raising more than $600 dollars that year before raising nearly $700 in 2013.

Eastern’s efforts for the Polar Plunge are coordinated by Joel Vickery, EWU’s assistant athletic director for compliance. Below is a complete list of “plungers.” 

Aaron Neary – secretary of EWU Student Athletic Advisory Council
Vernon Adams Jr.
Cory Alcantar
Isaac Anderson
T.J. Boatright
Zach Bruce
Jase Butorac
Cassidy Curtis
Clay DeBord
Jay Deines
David Delgado
Gaven Deyarmin
Thomas Gomez
Jerrod Jones
Joe Miles
Jake Rodgers
Matthew Sommer
Zachariah Storm
Jordan Tonani
Jordan West
Jabari Wilson
Zach Wimberly
Beau Baldwin – EWU Head Football Coach
Joel Vickery – EWU Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance