On February 21, 2026, the FlexTrades team gathered at the Polar Plunge event site in Prior Lake, Minnesota, for our ninth consecutive year supporting Special Olympics Minnesota.
And this year, we made our biggest splash yet.
- 35 fundraisers registered, an all-time high
- 30 participants took the physical plunge, another record
- $11,244.00 raised, our second-highest single-year total ever
Since our first plunge as Team FlexTrades in 2018, we’ve now raised $54,749.23 to support Special Olympics athletes across Minnesota. That total brings our yearly fundraising average to more than $6,000.
The numbers are exciting. But the real story is the impact behind them.
Making a Difference That Matters
The Polar Plunge isn’t just a winter tradition. It’s one of the largest fundraising efforts supporting Special Olympics programs across the country and the biggest for Special Olympics Minnesota. Funds raised provide year-round sports training, competitions, equipment, and inclusive opportunities for thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities statewide, all at no cost to them or their families.
At every plunge event, athletes and their delegations are present. They’re cheering, high-fiving, and smiling while encouraging plungers. If you’ve ever locked eyes with an athlete on the shoreline before jumping or running into freezing water, you understand quickly: this isn’t about the cold.
It’s about community. It’s about inclusion and belonging. It’s about creating opportunities.
The difference this organization makes in local communities is bigger than most people realize. Being even a small part of an impact like that is something we’re proud of, so proud that we’ve made it part of our corporate Core Values.
A Core Value in Action: Give Back
At FlexTrades, one of our Core Values is Give Back.
Our Give Back Committee exists to empower our employees to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. The committee takes that mission seriously and works diligently to create meaningful opportunities for our team to live that value beyond words. The FlexTrades Polar Plunge Team has become one of our most visible and consistent expressions of that commitment.
From six plungers in 2018 to 30 this year, participation has grown because our people believe in what we’re doing. Employees, friends, and family members show up year after year not because they have to, but because they want to.
Nine consecutive years of participation says something about culture. It says we don’t treat community involvement as a one-time event. It says we’re willing to get uncomfortable for a cause that matters. It says our Core Values guide action, not just conversation.
This year’s record-setting participation is proof of that.
Perfect Conditions. Record Energy.
This year, Prior Lake delivered perfect plunge conditions. It was warm, a balmy 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and windless enough to comfortably gather on the shoreline for a team picture and to watch other plunge teams. Luckily, despite a recent warm streak, we still had “good ice” for the plunge itself. That always means less time spent in freezing water and spares plungers from having to run through cold water to a buoy before returning the same way to the beach and heated changing tents.
We were the final group to enter the water that afternoon. The energy was high. The anticipation was real. And for our many first-time plungers, both kids and adults, the nerves were noticeable.
But afterward, the reviews were unanimous: “It wasn’t even close to as bad as I expected.”
Experienced plungers know that the anticipation is always worse than the plunge itself. They also know that the camaraderie, the laughter, and the athletes’ encouragement are what keep people coming back.
Several first-timers have already committed to returning next year. That’s how traditions become culture. And that’s why FlexTrades will always Give Back.
Why We Keep Showing Up
I’ve had the privilege of serving as team captain for all nine FlexTrades Polar Plunge teams and have personally plunged nearly 20 times over the years. Every plunge is special. Every year makes a difference.
But this one stood out. From the athletes to the volunteers to our growing group of plungers, everything aligned this year. And then there was one more layer that made it uniquely meaningful.
“Do It Anyway”
This year, our bright yellow plunge shirts carried a simple message on the back:
Do it anyway.
Those words came from a former member of our Marketing Team who worked with us for over six years and was a devoted member of all our previous plunge teams. She was known for being kind, helpful, and quietly impactful in the way she supported others. Her name was Emily, and she had a tattoo on her arm that read, “Do it anyway.”
After Emily passed away unexpectedly in December 2025, we knew we wanted to honor her in a way that reflected her positive, determined, and encouraging spirit. How? By plunging with her memory and her motto in support of something bigger than all of us.
Four members of her family, two aunts and two cousins, joined our team as plungers this year, three for their first plunge. Afterward, they shared that they could feel her spirit with us and were grateful to experience something that meant so much to her.
When the emcee announced that we were “Plunging for Emily” and proudly embracing the message to “Do it anyway,” it didn’t feel mournful. It felt strong, cathartic, and focused on the good.
It felt exactly like what Emily would have wanted.
Looking Ahead to Year 10
Nine consecutive years.
Nearly $55,000 raised.
Record participation in 2026.
What started small has grown into something that reflects who we are as a company.
To everyone who fundraised, donated, plunged, cheered, or supported from a distance, thank you. The impact extends far beyond a single event at a frozen beach on a winter afternoon.
And if you’ve ever considered joining us, Year 10 is coming. The water will be cold, but the cause will be worth it.
And we’ll do it anyway.
