OLCOTT: Brothers continue 'polar bear' tradition

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CINDY McCLAIN/CONTRIBUTOR

February 29, 2008

By Joyce Miles/milesj@gnnewspaper.com The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Fri Feb 29, 2008, 10:36 PM EST

OLCOTT — It’s one of the “coolest” fraternal traditions going.

Rick and Scott Dimon are diving into icy Lake Ontario on Sunday, Rick for the 33rd time and Scott, the 25th.

Every year, these adventure-loving brothers make a splash at the annual Polar Bear Swim for Sight. They’re die-hards who don’t quit, no matter how cold the water — or how old they feel.

“It’s just one of those things,” Scott, 49, said. “You see your friends again; you see people you only see one time a year, at the Polar Bear.”

Rick, also known as “Mad Dog,” was the first polar bear in the Dimon family, taking the plunge on a college bet in 1975. Three years later, Scott joined him. Both students at the University of Buffalo at the time, they decided the Dimon duo ought to have a signature. Their sister, Cindy, helped them make polar bear costumes.

Over the years, fur, deer skin and other earthy accessories were added to the costumes, and the Dimons became fixtures on the Polar Bear scene. Their polar bear hats “look like something Barney and Fred would wear to the lodge meeting,” Rick jokes.

Scott dropped out of the swim for a few years, while he lived in California, but Rick, 52, never stopped. Once Scott returned to Newfane, the brothers tried making the swim a true family tradition.

Alas, their kids weren’t interested.

“When our oldest ones were about 10, they tried it once and said, ‘Never again!’ ” Rick said. “We were thinking if we passed it on, we could be spectators in dry clothes, but that didn’t work out.”

“Yeah, people in the crowd were yelling, ‘child abusers!’ That wasn’t a good thing,” Scott added.

The Dimons say charity — raising money for Olcott Lions Club programs — is what keeps them coming back to the swim every March. Unintentionally, Scott says, he and Rick inspired a second Polar Bear event, the 5K run that precedes the swim and benefits YMCA Camp Kenan.

On Polar Bear Day about 13 years ago, the brothers decided to jog to the swim instead of driving. They donned their polar bear hats and ran 5 miles, attracting attention and cheers as they went. The 5K run was born the next year.

It didn’t attract too much participation at first, Scott said, because there aren’t many people who’d run and swim on the same day. Now the run is held a week ahead of Polar Bear Day, and the Dimons may have a new chance at setting a multi-generational tradition.

Scott’s daughter, Kelli, who’d decided long ago that the swim wasn’t for her, ran the 5K this year and took second place in the 20- to 24-years-old age division, Scott said.

Rick takes pride in being a top fund-raiser for the annual swim. One year, he raised $1,254 by himself and he says it never takes too much effort.

“I work at Delphi. People know I’m involved. Every year when it comes around, I don’t even have to ask, they just put money in my hand,” he said.

The Dimon brothers say Polar Bear Day is always a good time, but it’s better if it’s not too good a time.

A few libations before the plunge surely give a polar bear some bravado, Rick said, “but age is wisdom. The longer you do it, the more you learn to take it easy. You don’t want to get stupid on that day.”

Veterans have learned to take along a “helper,” someone who stays behind on the beach ready to help take care of their wet bear emerging from the drink.

“When you get out, you want to be prepared. You need shoes, warm clothes, a change of socks, gloves, and you need them quickly,” Scott said. “You want to think about what you’re doing, because you really could get hurt.”

Sunday’s weather forecast — overcast and a temperature high in the upper 30s — is just about perfect for polar bears, according to Scott. A warm day would not be welcomed by the veterans.

“In a perfect year, it’s 38 degrees, windy and the water is 32 degrees,” Scott said. “You don’t want it to be warm. One year it was 60 degrees outside and the water was freezing! There’s too much contrast.”

Contact reporter Joyce Miles at 439-9222, ext. 6245.

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