Five Gorham High School Varsity hockey players braved the icy waters of Maranacook Lake in Winthrop on March 16 to help raise money and awareness for Unified Sports in Maine, more specifically in Gorham. The Third Annual Big Chill Plunge is an event where middle school and high school kids come together to support Unified Champion schools.

The Gorham team, comprised of senior Tyler Weeks along with juniors Jonah Bird, Aidan Owens, Camden Sawyer and Peter Richards was organized by Bird who is a member of the State Unified Champion Schools Student Council. The team raised close to $600 and Richards was the top fundraising student this year. Part of the money raised by the Gorham athletes will go directly back to Unified sports at GHS, which is now in its second year of Unified Basketball.

Bird, who is a long-time volunteer for Special Olympics, believes that Unified Sports are important for all schools. “Every school should offer Unified Sports. I had a great time playing Unified football and floor hockey. The athletes are great and make it a lot of fun. Our school has a Unified Basketball team and we just really wanted to be able to support them,” Bird said.

The five Gorham boys not only took the plunge but arrived hours early, as they have each year, to help set up, decorate, and prepare for the plunge. The team hopes to have more Gorham students join them next year. For more information, or to get involved with this event, visit somaine.org.