Team Radio Bloomington jumped into the icy waters of Miller Park Lake on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (Photos by Rich Strle)

By Beth Whisman

BLOOMINGTON - Team Radio Bloomington joined more than 700 Special Olympics Illinois supporters for the 2013 Polar Plunge at Miller Park Lake in 27 degree weather on Saturday. (The water temperature was a balmy 34 degrees.)

Scott Laughlin, Jim Fitzpatrick, Paul Morello and Laura Ewan represented WJBC, along with WMBD 31 Chief Meteorologist Marcus Bailey. J.D. Justice and Buck Stevens (in a bikini) showed up for sister station B-104 and Tim Taylor took the plunge for WBNQ. Larry Cline and Arizona Special Olympics athlete Joe Grove also joined the team to raise money for Special Olympics Illinois Area 6.

Before diving crews broke through the ice Saturday morning, the local Polar Plunge had become the biggest single-day plunge in the state. When the final pair of freezing feet made the run from the shore of Miller Park Lake back into the warmth of the Miller Park Pavilion, the event had raised more than $127,000 to help local athletes train and compete.

Area 6 serves more than 960 Special Olympics athletes in DeWitt, Livingston, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties.

Check out video of Team Radio Bloomington taking the plunge, along with highlights from the day:

Beth Whisman can be reached at whisman@wjbc.com.