Cedar River Shiver leaves participants refreshed

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Going into the water on a cold and rainy day wasn’t as bad as it may seem.

“It was refreshing,” said Dean Stewart of the Stewart Realty Double Dippers. This was his fourth year doing the Cedar River Shiver.

Temperatures weren’t below freezing, but it certainly felt cold near the Cedar River on Saturday afternoon as people plunged into the river to raise money for Floyd County Search and Rescue and Charles City Community Revitalization.

During the event the Bridge Church had volunteers handing out coffee, hot chocolate and cookies to participants provided by Aromas and Kwik Trip.

“We’re going to brave the cold water all for a good cause,” said Allen Murray of Floyd County Search and Rescue. “This is search and rescue’s biggest fundraiser of the year.”

The water was 36 to 38 degrees, Murray said.

Six teams and one individual ventured into the Cedar River and braved the cold and rain.

“We just want everyone to have a lot of fun,” Murray said. “This time of the year people are anxious to get out after a long winter.”

The rain didn’t bother the members of Floyd County Search and Rescue, who were in their in survival suits.

Four members of Floyd County Search and Rescue went in the water in their survival suits during the Cedar River Shiver in case any of the participants got swept away or slipped.

There were three more members of Floyd County Search and Rescue on the shore in addition to an ambulance crew present in case of an emergency, Murray said.

This is the first Cedar River Shiver since 2014, and despite the rain there was a large turnout, including Mayor James Erb.

Erb came as a judge during the competition.

There were 28 people registered to go into the water, said Erica Wipperling, Charles City Community Development Events coordinator.

Not everyone that was registered to participate went into the water, six people decided not, but were still eligible for a drawing to win a bucket of chicken donated by HyVee and Dairy Queen, Wipperling said.

“You do have the choice to go into the water or be a chicken and they still pay the same price,” Wipperling said.

The chickens also had a chance to be one of the judges for the event, Wipperling said.

The full proceeds of the Cedar River Shiver go between Community Revitalization and Floyd County Search and Rescue.

The six teams were: Derailed, which was sponsored by Matt DeBoest, owner and operator of DeRailed, McPenguin’s, Average Joe’s, Stewart Realty Double Dippers, Breitbach Chiropractic and Ditka.

Each team had a different theme.

DeRailed’s team all were dressed as train conductors and used cardboard boxes to approach the river prior to dropping them as though they had been derailed.

McPenguins all wore hats that resembled penguins.

Average Joe’s, a team of nine, were all dressed as athletes and once in the water they all made a circle around one member of their team. That member dunked himself, and once he came out of the water the other members all flung themselves backwards into the water.

After the cold plunge, awards were given out for best costume. DeRailed won the team award. The best individual costume went to Brad Gorman, dressed as a dalmatian.

The award for traveling the farthest went to team Ditka, and Edie Penno, won the award for oldest participant.

The award for best team spirit went to Average Joes.

“We think its a great event and it’s fun to participate,” Stewart said.