Prior Lake, Minn. – Jumping into icy cold water in February in Minnesota isn’t something most folks would want to do, but 95 Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) employees on 10 teams raised $26,317 for Special Olympics Minnesota by doing just that. They were among the 830 participants in the Polar Bear Plunge held on Prior Lake on February 15.

The 10 members of the “Freezing Ice Holes,” who work for the SMSC Marketing Department, raised $6,255 – the most of any SMSC team this year. The largest team of jumpers was “Dunking Donuts” from the SMSC Gaming Enterprise Security Department, with 25 participants.

Each year 16 Polar Bear Plunge events are held around Minnesota from January through March. This was the 17th year overall and the sixth year the event has been held on Prior Lake. The Prior Lake Polar Bear Plunge raised more than $182,000 this year.

Dating back to the first Polar Bear Plunge on Como Lake in St. Paul in 1998, more than 15,000 participants have raised more than $3 million for Special Olympics Minnesota through 2013.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth, and good employer, the SMSC is committed to community partnerships, charitable donations, a healthy environment, and a strong economy. The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino) are the largest employer in Scott County. Out of a Dakota tradition to help others, the SMSC has also donated nearly $272 million to organizations and causes since 1992, funds its own infrastructure, and contributes generously to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and emergency services.