Still freezin’ for a reason: Polar Dash helps flood relief

The Morrisville Rotary Polar Dash may be a little less chilly than in years past when folks would jump into a hole in the ice on an early February day, but the event still raises cold cash for nonprofits.

This year’s recipient of the event’s fundraising efforts is the Lamoille Area Recovery Network (LeARN). To sign up and for more information, go.rotary7850gives.org/c/dash-away.

The Rotary hosts its annual Polar Dash April 13 at Lake Elmore, at 10 a.m. People can participate as a donor and cheer the various participating teams as they jump in the lake — from shore, these days — as a dipper getting cold for a cause, or as a sponsor of the event.

Half of the entire event’s net proceeds will go to LeARN and half to the Morrisville Rotary. Last year, Lamoille Community House was the spotlighted organization getting half the raised funds.

LeARN started as an ad-hoc collective of health and human service nonprofits working across the county to support people immediately following the flooding event in July.

“We organized volunteers to muck out homes, raised funds for our neighbors, coordinated resource fairs, went door-to-door checking in,” Sarah Henshaw, event coordinator said. “As the community started to recover, we recognized the need to support those that continued to have unmet needs.”

In partnership with United Way of Lamoille County, the collective evolved into what is now the county’s long-term recovery group, working with the state, FEMA, town officials and other community members.

Henshaw said the organizational structure allows funding and resources to be directed to individuals and households with unmet needs.