Share:
Die-hard Chipper’s Dippers defy weather for icy immersion
Lewes Polar Bear Plunge weekend events reset for Feb. 27-March 1
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
February 7, 2026
The bitterly cold weather that forced the postponement of the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics Delaware until Sunday, March 1, didn’t deter the 37-member, Lewes-based Chipper’s Dippers team from completing their plunge Jan. 31, in the frigid waters off Lewes Beach. The team has raised more than $ 21,000 thus far for this year’s plunge!
Shown are in back (l-r) Pete Nellius, Brad Thomas, Mark Wohner, Don Burich, Ken Tadler and Dan Meadows. In the middle are Stephen Dopler, Colleen Simpson, Andrea Short, Nicolas Musacchio, Jim Musacchio, Ryan Musacchio, Meg Burich, Mark Angeline, Chip Simpson, Bob Pierce, Rob Coupe, Deacon Myers and Audrey Porzio. In front are Andrea Sutton, Bo Lee, Nora Lotter, Ronan Lotter and John Coupe.
Braving the Lewes Beach tundra Jan. 31 to display the air and water temperature signs for their plunge are (l-r) Chip Simpson, Rob Coupe, Bob Pierce, Ken Tadler, Andrea Sutton and Bo Lee. For the record, the water temp was a barely-above-freezing 33, and the “real feel” air temperature was 4.
