BCC Polar Bear Plunge

2/14/2013 (Updated 7:06:59 PM)

Swimming in freezing water isn't your typical  winter activity, but it was a full-blown event Thursday at Broome Community College.

Eight faculty and staff took part in the school's first "Polar Plunge" to raise money for various campus scholarships.

The swimmers competed with each other to see who could stay the longest in the 46 degree water Wes Warren won in 6 minutes and 45 seconds.

"I felt alive and living in the now, like right in this moment, and getting body heat from our colleagues," said Meigo Kao.

"We fully care about our BCC students.  We're family here at BCC.  And although there's competition between the departments, we're family," said Wes Warren.

The faculty and staff raised thousands of dollars from the event that will go towards the student scholarships.