We are having great success doing this in Maryland, with a number of county officials, state legislators, and even a member of the Governor's cabinet joining us at our Plunge. (We're still working on Governor O'Malley himself!)  One helpful hint:  some politicians really fear cold water even more than most, so for any who are, consider suggesting that they be part of the "blanket brigade," staying on shore to hold the blanket and cup of hot cocoa for their fellow legislators who are actually going in.  You can get more of them involved this way, build more connections with folks you need to influence, and get more media attention for your Plunge.

Need any additional ideas or sample text for inviting legislators - just drop us a line here at the National Polar Bear Plunge!

It also makes sense when you consider that skiing is an important, popular and very visible industry, and last year many ski operators took a financial beating, in the Northeast especially, when temperatures stayed in the 60s and even 70s throughout December and early January.  This makes a skiing Plunge an ideal way to promote our message, Keep Winter Cold - Fight Global Warming!  (And if there is no snow on the slopes that day, the skiing will be shorter, but the message even more powerful.)

Our good friend Robin Hoek is setting up the skiing Plunge in Apsen, Colorado, and has enlisted the support of the local ski operators.  To talk to her about how she's done it, and to set up a skiing plunge yourself, contact Robin at 303.469.0925, or through www.myspace.com/greenactionnetwork

As record arctic ice melt combines with more powerful hurricanes and extreme weather (drought, floods, heat waves) all over the planet, the need for extreme action on global warming - like jumping into a cold body of water in the winter - has never been more urgent.  Thanks so much for joining a Plunge near you - or starting one of your own!

Read Bill McKibben's full commentary, with links for Step It Up 2, by clicking here  - The Race Against Warming.

And once again today, we are confronted with dramatic news that ice is melting - and global warming advancing - much faster than previously thought. As was reported today, the summer ice pack in the Arctic - air conditioner to the planet and home of the majestic polar bear and other equally stunning animals - reached a new record low, smashing the old record set in 2005. Incredibly enough, 69,000 square miles of ice - roughly the same size as the state of Florida - has melted... in just the past seven days!

DRAFT DRAFT ** POLAR BEAR PLUNGE PRESS ADVISORY ** DRAFT DRAFT

NEWS ADVISORY

Contact:  (your name, phone number)                                                                         (Today's date)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2007 (fill in time you are doing it)
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Local Climate Activists Take "Polar Bear Plunge" into (your body of water) to Demand Action on Global Warming

Winter Plunge Part of National Action to "Keep Winter Cold!"

(your town/city, state) - Alarmed and spurred on by rapidly accumulating evidence of global warming, local climate activists are joining a national Polar Bear Plunge this coming December 8, 2007, with the message, "Keep Winter Cold! Fight Global Warming NOW!"

With extreme weather happening across the country this year, including massive wildfires in California and the west, record heat waves and droughts in the southeast and record flooding in the mid-west, climate activists in (your town/city/region) are joining with hundreds of others in the U.S. to organize more than 30 cold weather "Polar Bear Plunges" to call attention to this extraordinary crisis.  From California to Alaska to North Carolina and Maryland, plungers will be taking the dip on Saturday, December 8 - in conjunction with the International Day of Climate Action and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Bali, Indonesia, from December 3-14. Solutions to our regions global warming crisis will be highlighted, including (mention one or two of the most prominent activist efforts, pending pieces of legislation, etc. in your area.)

(fill in the following information)

WHO:  (your group name and any short description of it or your plungers you'd like to give)

WHAT: (give name of plunge, or just location followed by "Polar Bear Plunge")

WHEN: December 8, 2007 (give time)

WHERE: (give location with complete address)

**PHOTO OPPORTUNITY**
(and list any extra special photo op here, such as "singing polar bears," political leaders, clergy, etc.)

Here's How To Raise $200 In 30 Minutes To "Keep Winter Cold!"

Dear Clean Energy Supporter:

Thanks so much for agreeing to jump into the [body of water] with us on Saturday December 8th at [time], to raise awareness about global warming. We'll send you more information about the event, including directions to [specific location of plunge], in the coming days.

But right now, we hope you'll take just 15 minutes to send the special letter below to 20 (or more) of your closest friends and relatives. This simple email letter will help you collect sponsors and pledges for your December 8 adventure into the icy [body of water]. We know from experience that this is an amazingly easy way to raise money for this vital cause. No going door-to-door. No phone calls. No licking envelopes. You'll never even have to touch the money...all while doing just 15 minutes of work! I promise.

All you have to do is send the template e-mail letter below to all your friends and family. Everyone knows about global warming, and most everyone wants to do something to help. Individuals who have used this method in past polar bear plunges have raised hundreds of dollars, mostly because their friends and family - like yours and most other Americans - care deeply about our planet and the threat posed by global warming.

So just send out the letter, either keep a list of your pledgers and their amounts [or direct them immediately to the online donation site], and join us for our jump in the [body of water] on December 8^th. Then, after our plunge, we'll provide a similar e-mail message with instructions on how people can send in their pledge. I guarantee that if you send out the appeal letter to 20 people, you will raise at least $200 in 15 minutes or less on the computer.

While any and all funds are certainly welcome (!), we recommend setting a personal goal. For example, $200 is a potential target (equal to just ten of your family/friends making a $20 pledge).

So please, if you can, make a little time to join us in this vital fund-raising effort. You'll feel good about the results and you'll enjoy your plunge even more.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

[your name]

[your group and contact info]

===================================================

SAMPLE FUNDRAISING EMAIL TO SEND TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Dear (name of your friend):

On [day and date] I'll be jumping into the icy [body of water] for a really good cause: the fight against global warming.

Yes, you read that right. I'll be plunging right into the water at [specific location/town at body of water for jump] with several dozen other crazy people. The event, organized by [your group(s)], in conjunction with the National Polar Bear Plunge, is meant to raise awareness about the fight to "Keep Winter Cold" and thus save our planet from the growing crisis of global warming.

So here's the deal: I'll agree to get wet and cold if you'll agree to sponsor me. By making a pledge to support my playful suffering, you'll help [your group] fulfill its very serious mission of educating and mobilizing the citizens of [your area] to take concrete steps to protect our climate. The suggested minimum pledge is $20 but if you give more it will help [your group] accomplish more - and make my plunge into icy water even more worthwhile!

This is an especially critical time for an action like this. There has been a growing surge of citizen awareness and activism on global warming in the past year, and the issue of climate change has only grown in importance with each passing day. The Plunge will conclude a year of climate change activism on a high note, and, most importantly, it will continuing to highlight our demand for action as we head into the crucial presidential election year that begins with the primaries in January and February.

By participating in the National Polar Bear Plunge, we will be sending the strongest, clearest, most visceral, national message we can to all candidates running for office: Keep Winter Cold! Act on Global Warming NOW! Best of all, we'll also be raising money to continue this struggle throughout the election year.

So please let me know if you can make a pledge toward this very worthwhile event. Also know that [your group] is a reputable, nonprofit organization based in [your location] with an emphasis on community-based, grassroots organizing. You can learn more about [your group] at [website url]. Your contribution is tax-deductible.

If you can make a pledge, just reply to this email, and I'll let you know how. 

And thanks so much for your interest and support in the fight against global warming - and for supporting me while I turn a little blue in the process!

Thanks so much,

[your name]

Email subject line: Please Sponsor Me As I Freeze My #%@*&# Off To Fight Global Warming!

Dear [name],

On [day and date] I'll be jumping into the icy [body of water] for a really good cause: the fight against global warming.

Yes, you read that right. I'll be plunging right into the water at [specific location/town at body of water for jump] with several dozen other crazy people. The event, organized by [your group(s)], in conjunction with the National Polar Bear Plunge, is meant to raise awareness about the fight to "Keep Winter Cold" and thus save our planet from the growing crisis of global warming.

So here's the deal: I'll agree to get wet and cold if you'll agree to sponsor me. By making a pledge to support my playful suffering, you'll help [your group] fulfill its very serious mission of educating and mobilizing the citizens of [your area] to take concrete steps to protect our climate. The suggested minimum pledge is $20 but if you give more it will help [your group] accomplish more.

This is an especially critical time for this inspired act of lunacy. The Step It Up actions of this past spring helped start a growing surge of citizen activism on global warming, and the issue of climate change has only grown with each passing day. The Plunge will conclude our year of activism on climate change on a high note, continuing to highlight the issue for this all-important presidential election year that begins in earnest with the primaries in January and February.

And by participating in the National Polar Bear Plunge, with thousands of other concerned citizens jumping in cold bodies of water all across the United States, we will be sending the strongest, clearest, most visceral message we can to all candidates running for office: Keep Winter Cold! Act on Global Warming NOW! And best of all, we'll be raising money to continue this struggle throughout the election year.

So please let me know if you can make a pledge toward this very worthwhile event. Also know that [your group] is a reputable, nonprofit organization based in [your location] with an emphasis on community-based, grassroots organizing. You can learn more about [your group] at [website url]. Your contribution is tax-deductible.

If you can make a pledge, just let me know the amount right now by replying to this email and then I'll follow up with you after the swim to collect your contribution. Or, you can go to this special, secure web page and make your contribution to my plunge right now.

Either way, thanks so much for pledging your support to continue the fight against global warming - and for me to freeze my #%@*&!#! in the process!

Thanks so much,

[your name]

[position, your group name]

Dear supporter [or insert name] -

Let's Keep Winter Cold!!! 

Join the National Polar Bear Plunge, and freeze your  #%!&* to fight global warming by jumping into the [body of water] with me and dozens of other [name of citizens in your region, e.g. - "Marylanders."] on [date].   

Who says fighting global warming can't be fun? Never done something like this before? Neither have I. But your friends will howl with delight afterwards and your kids will thank you for helping to save their planet.  We'll provide the hot chocolate and donuts and warm hugs afterwards. You provide the swimsuit and donations from at least ten friends and family members. That's it - and together we'll save our climate. 

Our plunge will be at [time] on [date] at [location of body of water].  All you have to do is show up at the [location] at [time] and quickly jump in - and out - of  the water with me and dozens of other insane climate heroes.  (Or if you prefer, even swim a few lengths!)  Bring your camera, friends and family and make it a fun outing for everyone. Marvel at all the different shades of blue skin! 

This plunge comes at a particularly important moment in our history, and will be part of the larger "Save the Polar Bears - Keep Winter Cold!" National Polar Bear Plunge being organized all over our country. (www.keepwintercold.org )   The urgency of global warming has finally become part of political debate in the presidential election, an election that will begin in earnest with the first primaries only a few weeks after the National Polar Bear Plunge.  By taking the plunge in the [body of water], you will be joining thousands of others across the country working to save our environment, and sending the strongest possible message to leaders running for national office - you need to address climate change, seriously and NOW. 

If you're interested, please contact us at [email address/phone number]. We'll give you more details and also explain how you can help raise money prior to the event with just 20 minutes of your time. I look forward to sharing this brisk dip with you and a celebratory cup a hot chocolate on the [date]!  

With thanks for all you do to preserve our planet, 

Sincerely, 

The Polar Bear Plunge is a can't-miss, sure-fire way to energize activists, have fun, generate media attention to global warming, and raise money to continue the work.  The following is a brief but complete guide to organizing a successful Polar Bear Plunge in your community.  Sample organizing and media materials are attached for your convenience.