When one thinks of activities on a cold winter morning, running into the Great South Bay is not often at the top of the list. However, this past Saturday morning, when temperatures were hovering around 22 degrees, families from all over Long Island gathered at Walker Park in Brightwaters, where Operation VEST held its fourth annual 22 Degree Run & Plunge.
The festivities started with a 2.2-mile run/walk through Brightwaters, followed by a polar plunge at Walker Beach. Before the run commenced, co-founder Stefan Hespeler shared a few words. Hespeler was astounded to learn that over 20 veterans and one active-duty military member are lost to suicide daily. In 2016, a close friend and Marine Corps veteran challenged him to participate in the “22 Pushup Challenge,” which involved completing 22 pushups per day for 22 days. Those 22 days came and went, but Hespeler never stopped, not even nine years later.
This challenge was a catalyst for the creation of Operation VEST, a Brightwaters-based nonprofit organization founded by Stefan Hespeler and Jenny Mortenson Hespeler. The organization promotes awareness and informs the public of staggering statistics impacting veterans. Additionally, it provides veterans with the resources they need and works to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.
Since the organization was founded in March 2020, Operation VEST (Veterans Ending Suicide Together) has continued to address the different needs of our veteran population, working alongside other local organizations such as the Warrior Ranch Foundation, General Needs, Paws of War, and Pal-O-Mine.
The opening ceremony ended after participants of all ages dropped to the ground and did 22 pushups plus one, a nod to the challenge Stefan once took on himself. Afterward, those taking part in the run made their way to the starting line.
Almost 15 minutes later, Chris Porcelli could be seen running through the arch of American flags. Porcelli was the first male runner to cross the finish line with a time of 14:18. Barry Post followed, being the second male runner to return to Walker Park with a time of 14:57. In third place for the male runners was Michael Bubolo with a time of 15:05. Sarah Bachman was the first of the female runners to cross the finish line with a time of 14:36, followed by Nancy Tantone with a time of 14:46. Brittany Colasanto was third with a time of 15:14.
The resilient athletes were prepared to enjoy nature’s ice bath. However, there was a minor setback—ice, and lots of it. One attendee shared that he hadn’t seen the bay this icy since the ‘70s. The water was so frozen over that the kids could create an impromptu ice rink. Before the event began, organizers evaluated the state of the bay. They determined the ice was too far out to hold the plunge portion. Fortunately, Bay Shore Fire Department Marine Division Ice Rescue Team members saved the day. While conducting their subject recovery drill, they broke up a small area of ice, allowing participants to take the freezing plunge in small groups at a time.
If you are interested in donating to Operation VEST, signing up to volunteer, or updates on organization happenings, visit www.operationvest.org, @operationvest on Instagram, and Operation VEST on Facebook.
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