ODC pulls plug on polar plunge

The Owatonna Divers Club called off its annual New Year’s Day polar plunge this year for the first time since 1963 due to illness, injury and the -8 degree temperature.
The idea for the traditional plunge dates back to a New Year’s Day party that Don Matejcek attended in Owatonna back in 1963.
“I was at a New Year’s party with some buddies of mine when a couple of guys told us to ‘go jump in a lake.’ And that’s exactly what we did!” said Matejcek.
Matejcek, 78, and company made their first plunge the next day and the tradition lived on for the next 59 years.
Even during a stretch when Matejcek was deployed overseas, he said that his friends kept the tradition alive.
Nowadays, Matejcek is the only of one the original group who continues the annual dive, however, he has been held out of diving for the past two years due to a neck injury and a recent hip replacement.
Matejcek and his son, Troy, run the polar plunge and are avid divers in the Owatonna Divers Club.
According to Troy, the visibility underwater during the polar plunge is optimal despite the harsh winter conditions.
At 11 a.m., Troy made the initial drill to kick off what was expected to be another routine year of diving.
The polar plunge is open to the public and those who wish to partake can come, however, this year came with some difficulties.
According to Delbert Kepka and Chuck Morris, they believe the -8 degree temperature made for a slow day this year for divers, as there were only three divers who expressed interest in making the plunge.
Unfortunately for the club, the three divers all had to cancel for personal reasons.
Around 1 p.m., Don and Troy Matejcek decided to call off the plunge as the group decided against expanding the original hole and waiting for potential divers.
Don Matejcek said that the club has no intentions of rescheduling the plunge as it is strictly a New Year’s tradition.
The club was disappointed that the plunge had to be called off, but members showed optimism that the tradition will be back better than ever next year.
According to Troy, divers have the opportunity to not only have a unique experience underwater, but divers also will have the opportunity to discover plenty of lost items such has coins, sunglasses and even submerged vehicles.