It no longer comes as much of a shock to see images of myself splayed about on the Internet just one day into the new year. It is what happens when you elect to begin your year with the
Coney Island Polar Bears. This year was my second year, and with the expected air and water temp much higher than last year I thought I was ready. But it should come as no surprise that you are never really ready for this event. It is an event that teeters on chaos. Slightly controlled chaos is the name of the game. No mater how many
NYPD and
NYFD they have sprinkled about in red survival suits or big boots, no matter how many rescue boats and binocular peering lifeguards are at your flank, it remains on the tipping point of a riot. That is part of the beauty of it all. But it is such a wonderful rumpus full of such memorable characters, that you cannot resist the temptation.
Most of us site Camp Sunshine as a major justification for doing it, as it is an important cornerstone that grounds an event that is otherwise like a hairdryer dropped into a bathtub. We are of course doing it for so many reasons, some personal while more obvious. I am a strong believer in raising charitable funds through public humiliation. I also still believe in these community tribes that rise up for one day and share something wonderful. The
Coney Island Polar Bears are the core of that tribe.
So off my pal Hannah and I went to seize the day. We had our funny costumes and bags full of towels. We had a strategy that had been carefully worked out over several dinner meetings over the past weeks. We thought that we had considered everything, but somehow I missed an important factor. We had somehow overlooked that with an increase in air temperature, there is also an equal increase in the media presence. Last year's windchill left me with log legs before I even got to the water. This desperate temperature left much of the media task force at home snuggled in their beds. But not this year. The media had their
rubber boots on and they were ready.
We arrived to a media frenzy where photographers were five deep the entire length of the swim. There would be no possibility of avoiding it. We would be documented from more sides than we wanted, and since I am still camera shy any angle is too much for me. But first we had to break through them to get to the water. The event had set up a sort of roped off corral where the Sr. Polar Bears would parade down, but we were unsure if us tag along Polar Bear wannabes were allowed behind the rope. So
instead we decided to bust through the crowd like two rodeo bulls. It wasn't pretty to try to have an ounce of grace while doing this, but the end result was we ended up making friends with one of the NY photographers who shoots for the Japanese press.
But all of our friendliness could not keep us from the wrath of the tabloid. One would think that in a charitable event that has been going on for decades, the they would give up on trying to make it sound like such a scandal. I have learned that for the rest of 2010 I pledge to "zip it" while in the presence of reporters. I promise be wary of any swank skinny jean wearing notepad carrying charmers. I will work on my media relations in the new year so to be a representation of good, kind acts. I refuse to get chatty in the presence in the media. And finally I pledge to remain out of the tabloids for the rest of 2010.
In the end we are a bunch of great characters who come together for a great cause on a great day on the best place in New York City,
Coney Island...and best of all, together we raised $25,000 for Camp Sunshine. Mission accomplished. Thanks Coney Island Polar Bears!
