Take A Cold Plunge This Weekend To Keep Veterans Warm This Winter

It's a "cool" way to support keeping local vets warm this winter.

Greater Bangor's first and only floatation therapy center, Float 207, is hosting an event from 10 AM until 4 PM on Saturday, July 20th, that's set to do just that.

Roscoe Witham, owner of Float 207, says as someone who has personally seen positive results from water therapy, he wanted to create an event that would showcase some of the benefits this particular therapy can have for veterans with anxiety and PTSD, and also help support veteran services. He contacted Doc Goodwin, who runs the Maine Veterans Project, and they decided to collaborate on the "Get Cold To Keep Veterans Warm This Winter" event.

Witham says he started talking with Goodwin about working on a joint fundraising event several years ago.

"We did a buy one-give one for floats for Veteran's Day...and we got a lot of really good feedback. This summer we added cold plunge and contrast, which is an infrared sauna, and the cold plunge. We wanted to bring attention to how cold water therapy can help and we wanted to incorporate it in a way that we could help raise money for the Maine Veterans Heating Oil Fund."

For a donation, you can take the cold plunge for both bragging rights and for the knowledge that you helped out a great cause!

According to their Facebook event page, all the action is taking place out behind Float 207, the back of the State Farm building at 1723 Hammond Street in Bangor. They will have some large tents set up with the ice baths, and also some other wellness professionals who will be offering services, by donation. All the funds collected with go towards the Maine Veterans Project's Heating Oil Fund.

"Join us, Maine Veterans Projects, Utopia Bangor, R&N Wellness, Performance Therapy Institute, and more... We will have Cold Plunges, Chair massage, IV vitamins, and Food from Utopia Bangor!"

Goodwin says he's looking forward to providing folks who want to donate to the cause, and fun and competitive way to do so.

"I'm kind of hoping it will also be a very actively engaging event for veterans. It's a challenge; it's something fun to do. And I hate to say it but when you see someone else suffering and doing it, it kind of makes you want to do it. "

Both Goodwin and Witham hope to expand the scope of the event and make it a yearly event.

"We're hoping we get a lot of participation, that we can speak to veterans about the benefits of polar plunging, get them all in one place to share some camaraderie, and hopefully raise some money for heating fuel."

Organizers say there will be parking available at the Float 207 building, along with the parking lot of Greenway Equipment Sales and John Deer next door.

Goodwin says to check the Maine Veterans Project events for more ways to help Maine Veterans.