Patriot Polar Plunge
Saturday, February 1, 2025
What a great day! Early yesterday morning in Sea Girt hundreds of incredible people plunged into the freezing ocean to support local veterans at our 4th Annual Patriot Polar Plunge. Despite the cold, the energy was amazing! The plunge honored State Trooper and National Guardsman, Juan Fajardo, who was tragically lost in November 2021. Team Fajardo Freeze, captained by Juan’s widow, Adriana, was there to make the day extra special.
We also welcomed Joseph Aboussleman, Veteran of the Year. Joe Aboussleman was born in Barnegat, NJ in 1925, and joined the Army in 1943, serving as a tank gunner during World War II. He will be turning 100 in April of this year. It was an honor to have him there.
A huge thank you to Mike D’Altrui, NJ State Police, the Borough of Sea Girt, Sea Girt Police, Fire Department, First Aid, Life Guards, and all the amazing sponsors, supporters, and volunteers who made the event such a success. 
This year’s plunge raised almost $80,000 for the LIFT Fund for Veterans, providing home repairs for veterans in Monmouth County.
We still have some hoodies available, if you would like to buy one please contact Caroline Howell at chowell@monmouthhabitat.org. They are $30 each. There are no XL or 2XL left. All other sizes are available.
Thank you George Ertle Photography for the fantastic pics of the Patriot Polar Plunge!
www.georgeertle.com
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
American Legion Post 529 Wall
Rod’s Tavern
Conover Beyer Associates Insurance
Rostron
New Jersey Agency Network
Fahey Restaurant Group
The Stoic Builder
Selective Insurance
Monmouth County Clerk’s Office
Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office
Monmouth County Commissioner Tom Arnone
Monmouth County Commissioner Nick Dirocco
Honoring Juan Fajardo
We continued to honor the memory of Juan Fajardo, New Jersey State Trooper and National Guardsman, who was beloved by everyone, by his family and entire community.
About the LIFT Veteran Home Repairs Fund
The LIFT Fund provides home repairs and renovations for Monmouth County veterans. To date, over $100,000 has been raised by the Plunge to buy materials and supplies, which along with hundreds of volunteer hours, have gone into performing dozens of veteran projects. These improvements have included new roofs, ramps, porches, accessibility upgrades, and much more, all to help keep veterans in their homes, safely and affordably. And there is still much more to be done!If determined to be unsafe to enter the ocean by event organizers there will not be a rescheduled date. After-party will continue as scheduled, and hoodies may be collected at Rod’s for those eligible.