February 12, 2017, was not your typical Colorado winter day. The sun was shining with scattered high clouds, the temperature was 51 degrees, but with the wind out of the northwest at 17 miles per hour, it was more like 45 degrees. The water was 35 degrees and the crews had spent the morning clearing a hole in the ice for the event. Why are we here you ask? We are freezing for a reason! GEO's Aurora Detention Facility staff and family participated in the 8th annual Special Olympics Polar Plunge fundraiser at the Aurora Reservoir in Aurora, Colorado. This year marked GEO’s fourth year at the event.
Every year, the event is festive with local vendors providing food and hot drinks. Local law enforcement agencies all came together to raise money for this worthwhile and often forgotten cause. This year, team GEO won first place again with the highest amount of funds raised by a private corporation reaching $8,705. This gave team GEO the right to be the first team to go into the water. For safety reasons, only ten team members are allowed in the water at a time. Team GEO charged into the water in three waves of enthusiastic, wet, and very cold volunteers.
Team GEO was led by Warden Johnny Choate, Assistant Warden Finance and Administration Barbara Krumpelmann, Assistant Warden Dawn Ceja, and Major Jaime Davis. GEO had an excellent performance and achieved the high standard of top fundraiser for the third year in a row. We are three-peat champions!
Team GEO consisted of the following GEO employees and their families: Choate Family; Krumpelmann Family; Ceja Family; Davis Family; Todd family; Dittmar family; Quezada family; Huerta family; Rezaei family; Teixeira Family; Lorenz family; and the following individuals: Lieutenant S. Blatnik; J. Hill; S. Schumacher; C. Comardelle; S. Gallegos; M. Howarth; Z. Gann; K. Weaver; B. Dolan; and R. Shook. And the people behind the scenes including: J. McGah; P. Pinkonsly; M. Furst; J. Beatty; R. Kvasnicka; B. Stelter; as well as all the staff and their families who supported the fundraising efforts.
Pictured left to right: Courtney Comardelle, Brigitte Dolan, Brandi Dolan, Tierney Scurshinsky, Nicholas Dittmar, Kate Lynn Jillian, Sawyer Choate, Sayler Choate, Joyce Quezada, Ashley Krumpelmann, Matthew Todd, Raymond Todd, Scott Blatnik, Kristina Weaver, Ronald Teixeira, Rudy Huerta, Rudy Huerta Jr., Johnny Choate, Rene Shook, Barbara Krumplemann, Kenneth Krumplemann, Sergio Gallegos, Mike Howarth, Samantha Schumacher, Justin Hill, Jaime Davis, and Jaime Davis-Coates.
