PLUNGE … Visitors to Wauseon’s first-ever Polar Plunge brave the downpour of water shooting out from one of the Wauseon Fire Department’s engines.
FUN … A group of attendees for this year’s first-ever Polar Plunge stand for a group picture just as the water finished.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
WFD … A Wauseon Fire Department fire engine uses its deck gun to spray those who attended the first-ever polar plunge.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Fulton County Jaguars and Wauseon Fire Department teamed up on Wednesday, September 24th, 2025, to host the first-ever Solar Plunge at The Legacy Center in Wauseon.
The event, held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., was designed as a fun community gathering to raise awareness and support for Special Olympics athletes in Fulton County.
Unlike the well-known Polar Plunge, which challenges participants to dive into icy waters during the winter, the Solar Plunge brought summertime energy to the end of September. With the help of the Wauseon Fire Department, participants were doused with water from the deck gun of the fire engine while enjoying a warm-weather version of the plunge.
Children and adults alike laughed and played in the spray, turning the event into a lively send-off for the summer season.
Alongside the plunge itself, the evening offered plenty of family-friendly entertainment. Yard games and water toys kept participants active, while food trucks, including the Weepa Brothers and Aqua Ice, served up meals and cold treats.
A Wauseon Fire Department engine was on-site for children to explore, providing both excitement and education about the community’s local first responders.
Event organizers, Kathy Shaw of Triangular Processing and Celia Wilson of the Fulton County Special Olympics, emphasized that the Solar Plunge was about community.
“This event is all about building community, promoting inclusion, and empowering athletes,” said Celia Wilson, Fulton County Special Olympics Local Coordinator.
“Fulton County always steps up for us, and tonight showed that once again. We weren’t sure what to expect with this first year, but it’s clear people had fun and want to see it grow.”
Kathy Shaw, who helped coordinate the event, echoed those sentiments, crediting the Wauseon Fire Department for their pivotal role.
“This whole thing wouldn’t have happened without their willingness to spearhead it and let us try something new. We see this as just the beginning, and we expect next year to be even bigger and better.”
For athletes, coaches, and volunteers, the Solar Plunge also provided an opportunity to interact outside of their usual roles.
“Sometimes our athletes only see us in serious situations, like on the court,” Wilson said. “Tonight, they got to see us laugh, play, and just enjoy being together. That’s what makes this so special.”
With strong community support and smiles all around, the first Solar Plunge made a splash in Fulton County. Organizers hope the event will become an annual tradition, joining other efforts to celebrate inclusion and support Special Olympics Ohio.