Stony Point Seals take 25th Polar Plunge

On Superbowl Sunday the Stony Point Seals once again plunged into the freezing cold waters of the Hudson River for a good cause.

This year the group celebrated their 25th outing and successfully raised over $70,000 to help treat Elijah Torres, a five year old boy suffering from a rare neurological dis- ease, and Kayden Germosen, a three year old facing chronic kidney issues.

A proud Stony Point tradition, the Polar Plunge began in 1999 with the antics of Andy Huber, a Stony Point resident who convinced his friends to jump into then frozen river alongside him after a pickup football game.

Thrilled by the experience, Huber and his friends decided to continue the tradition next year, with one special caveat. At the suggestion of his sister Karen Huber, the guys decided that the spectacle of a bunch of people diving into freezing cold water could be put to good use, and turned the tradition into a fund raiser for neighborhood children suffering from chronic medical problems.

Fast forward to 2024 and the Polar Plunge has become a major event in the town of Stony Point, with 180 swimmers participating this year. Spearheaded by Andy Huber, John Corcoran, John Fox and Chris Brceland, The Stony Point Seals annually select children in North Rockland with high medical bills and spend the months before their dive gathering sponsors for their treatment.

On the day of the event, the brave volunteers take the plunge while the friends and family of the original divers collect day of donations and sell refreshments to the ever growing crowd that assembles each year to witness the event.

The Stony Point Seals have a lot of support within the community. The Stony Point Police Department, Wayne Hose Company, and the Stony Point Ambulance Corp. have been there to help in any way they could. This year the Stony Point Seals were joined by the Nam Knights of America, MC – Hudson Valley Chapter, a motorcycle club comprised mostly of veterans and law enforcement personnel dedicated to raising money for worthy causes.