November 28, 2022 - Story and photos by Joshua Ross
After a few years away, the annual Polar Plunge returned to Hingham Harbor this past Saturday in milder, yet still chilly, weather. The event sponsored by Hingham High School's Swim and Dive team partnered this year with South Shore SNAP with hopes of raising funds for a future Unified Swim team.
There were a few special "plungers" this year who were used as fundraising incentives. Maryellen Holler, Officer Ford, and Principal Swanson all dove in the frigid water after specific fundraising goals were met.
President of South Shore Snap Warren Pelissier sees this as opportunity to grow an already successful, and award winning, Unified program at Hingham High School.
"South Shore SNAP is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization that provides opportunities for Special Needs kids in athletics and beyond," Pelissier explains. "SNAP partners with athletic teams to create programs for our kids with the help of high school athletes to act as their mentors. This is our 9th year of providing these programs and growing new opportunities working with the High School Athletic Director Jim Quatromoni in creating unified sporting events that combine Special Needs kids with high school athletes competing together as a team. It started with Basketball and Track, going forward we hope to have a Unified Swim Team. This provides such joy to the Special Needs kids and their families, and a great feeling of giving back to the mentors."
Hingham High School was recently honored by Special Olympics as a National Unified Champion School. Growing the unified programs only builds on this achievement.
Swim and Dive boosters president Paul MacLellan has seen first hand how inclusion in sports can changes kids' lives.
"As a 25+ yr Board Member of the Dorchester Special Olympics, I’ve seen what our athletes can accomplish," MacLellan tells the Anchor. "With what HHS has done with the basketball program, I feel that it’s long overdue to provide a stronger inclusive direction with our already successful sports programs. By enabling our students to grow a unified program with SNAP and it’s strong relationship within the Hingham community, it made sense to partner with them on this endeavor."
Donations are still being accepted via Vemno (hhs_swim-dive) through Friday.
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