At noon on Jan. 31, 21 people stepped into 34-degree water at White Lake as part of the Susan Bunce Memorial Sullivan Freeze for a Cure.

The polar plunge fundraiser was held at the White Lake Fire Department as a Sullivan County-based warm-up event supporting Alzheimer’s research and advocacy through the Alzheimer’s Association. While the plunge itself lasted only about 15 minutes, organizers said the local event plays a defined role in a larger, five-county fundraising effort, with the main regional plunge scheduled for next week in Ulster County.

The White Lake event is organized by Strike Out Alz, a Sullivan County team led by Terry Grafmuller, which created the local plunge to increase participation and visibility within the county.

“The main event covers five counties, and we’re the smallest one,” Grafmuller said. “We wanted to do something local, and it’s brought in additional money every year while getting more people involved here.”

That approach has produced measurable results. Last year, the Strike Out Alz team raised about $23,000, while the overall regional effort brought in between $54,000 and $58,000, with Sullivan County ranking as the top-earning county in the multi-county campaign.

The White Lake Fire Department played a key role in making the event possible, though its members did not participate as jumpers. The department cut through the ice and staffed the dive team in dry suits, providing safety support for participants entering and exiting the lake, according to event organizers.

Fire department participation remains part of the event’s structure. This year, the Smallwood–Mongaup Valley Fire Department sent eight members into the lake. Fire departments that take part earn “turtle points” toward the Sullivan 180 Healthiest Fire Department Challenge, a countywide wellness initiative.

For Marcia Fink, a longtime Alzheimer’s advocate and former team captain, the work surrounding the plunge outweighs the brief moment in the water.

“It’s like Thanksgiving dinner,” Fink said. “It takes days of preparation, and then it’s over in about 15 minutes.”

Fink said she continues to participate because of her own family’s experience with the disease.

“My mother had Alzheimer’s for many years,” she said. “That’s why I do this, and why I keep coming back.”

The event is named in memory of Sue Bunce, who became involved in Alzheimer’s advocacy after losing her mother to the disease and was instrumental in bringing the plunge to White Lake. Her son, Danny Bunce, attended the event and said the memorial reflects his mother’s commitment to the community.

“She fought for the community,” he said. “That’s why I appreciate them naming it after her, and why I come out here.”

Support for the fundraiser extended beyond the plunge itself. The SUNY Sullivan Brain Freeze Brigade, a small group of faculty and students led by Jaime Schmeiser, director of workforce development at SUNY Sullivan, raised $250 for the cause without entering the water.

“You don’t have to jump to help,” Fink said. “You can fundraise, show up, and still make a real difference.”

So far, Strike Out Alz has raised almost $13,000 and still climbing for Subzero Heroes. Additional donations to Subzero Heroes from teams and individuals at our event exceeded $2,000.