Forty-eight degree water wasn’t cold enough to stop more than 300 greek ISU students from taking a plunge in Lake LaVerne Saturday for the Special Olympics.

A sea of colorful outfits lined the bank of Lake LaVerne as members of greek houses arrived for the Polar Plunge, a fund-raiser for the Special Olympics.

“I’m pumped up. It’s going to be a little cold, but I can handle it,” said Eric Rasmussen, a Sigma Phi Epsilon who was wearing chaps with a pair of pink women’s underwear underneath.

“I have already embarrassed myself enough today,” said Rasmussen, freshman in construction engineering.

Despite his previous experience with the Polar Plunge, Thomas Hill, vice president for Student Affairs, said he is never fully prepared for the dip.

“You’re never ready to do this,” he said. “You’re never ready to get in, but how can you not get in when the students are so enthusiastic?”

The event raised about $20,000 for Special Olympics Iowa, said Daryl Theis, community service coordinator for Greek Week.

“This is a very big fund raiser for us,” said Rich Fellingham, president of Special Olympics Iowa. Our biggest event is the state summer games held here on the ISU campus in May, and it costs around $180,000 to put on. This money goes a long way toward raising money for the games.”

Fellingham said he has taken the plunge for five years but couldn’t this year because he had a cold.

For those who did take the plunge, the water was a breathtaking experience.

“When I got in I thought I was going to make it all the way out to the divers, but when I stepped in, my body went completely numb and my lungs froze up — I could barely breathe,” said Emily Brightwell, a Chi Omega and sophomore in English.

Getting cold for five minutes was worth raising all that money for Special Olympics, Brightwell said.

“I think the event was a huge success,” said Theis, sophomore in agricultural systems technology.

“It looked like everyone was having fun, but the main reason was to benefit Special Olympics and we definitely did that today.”