BRADENTON BEACH – In a charitable kickoff to the new year, more than 100 people gathered at Cortez Beach and jumped into the Gulf of Mexico’s 61-degree waters on Jan. 1 at noon for the Shamrock Shiver Charity Plunge.
The event, sponsored by Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub & Grill, is in its 16th year and has raised more than $400,000 for local charities since its inception.
The fundraiser has grown over the years; in 2009, $14,000 was raised, while in 2023, more than $38,000 was brought in, with 100% of the proceeds donated to charity.
As noon approached, Clancy’s employee Danny Moore counted down – New Year’s Eve-style – before telling the crowd, many of them in costume, that it was time to make their splash into the water.
The participants rushed forward into the water, and given the especially chilly water temperatures, most ran out of the water just about as quickly as they went in.
Jim Madison has been participating in the plunge for the past five years.
“The water was really cold this year. It’s usually close to 80 degrees, but not this year,” Madison said. “Still, I’m happy to do it, it’s for a good cause.”
The proceeds from the Shamrock Shiver benefit non-profit organizations Feeding Empty Little Tummies, Healthy Teens Coalition of Manatee County Inc. and Take Stock in Children of Manatee County.
Following the plunge, fundraising festivities continued at Clancy’s on Cortez Road throughout the afternoon.
The Dr. Dave Band performed and more money was raised through raffle tickets, a silent auction and a live auction.
