Braving chilly waters for charity, local residents took the plunge by jumping or sliding down water slides into the pool at the Diamond Valley Aquatic Center in Hemet. The fifth annual Polar Plunge took place Saturday Jan. 4, when the water was estimated at about 50 degrees. Temecula resident Ilka Jordan slides into the cold water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge. The event was held at the Diamond Aquatic Center in Hemet on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Hemet resident Russell Medina reacts after sliding into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Emersyn Medina, 11, slides into the cold water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Participants jumped or slid into the unheated swimming pool set at 50 degrees. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula residents Jennifer Boer and Ilka Jordan come dressed for the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Emersyn Medina, 11, slides into the cold water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) After going down the water slide, a group of participants jump into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula resident Ilka Jordan reacts to the cold after sliding into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) After going down the water slide, a group of participants jump into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.(Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Widows Sons Masonic Lodge member Joel Castillo volunteered to test the chilly waters prior to the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) A photographer films one of the members of the Widows Sons Masonic Lodge of Murrieta as he slides into the chilly water on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Kathy Jensen-Robinson participated in the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge by swimming laps in the chilly water as part of a fundraiser for the Community Pantry on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula residents Jennifer Boer and Ilka Jordan came dressed for the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Arielito Hipolito and Don Pineda show a signed waiver allowing them to participate in the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Participants line up to to take the slide down into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) All participants received a Polar Plunge T-Shirt at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula resident Jennifer Boer slides into the chilly water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.(Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Certificates of survival were handed out to all participants of the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.(Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) A member of the Widows Sons Masonic Lodge of Murrieta slides into the chilly water Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) A member of the Widows Sons Masonic Lodge of Murrieta slides into the chilly water Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) A large group of Widows Sons Masonic Lodge 869 of Murrieta participated in the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Kathy Jensen-Robinson participated in the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge by swimming laps in the chilly water as part of a fundraiser for the Community Pantry on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 21Temecula resident Ilka Jordan slides into the cold water at the Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District’s Fifth Annual Polar Plunge. The event was held at the Diamond Aquatic Center in Hemet on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Expand Related Articles Local News | $2.3 million in grants given to 40 nonprofit groups in the Inland Empire Local News | Junior League of Riverside makes an impact with Inland Empire diaper bank Local News | Inland Southern California United Way is ‘listening and responding’ to area’s needs Local News | This Inland Empire nonprofit focuses on preventing childhood drowning The event was first held in 2020 in the center’s unheated pool, which is normally closed in winter before reopening in spring. There was no charge to enter the pool, but donations were accepted for nonprofit organizations represented at the event.