
LONG BEACH POLAR BEAR CLUB Super Bowl Sunday Splash is an annual event that started in 1998. All proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since its inception, the Long Beach Polar Bears and their many supporters have been able to grant many wishes.
This year the event will be held on Super Bowl Sunday February 5, 2012 and will officially take place at Riverside Boulevard at 1:00 PM. Participants are asked to arrive by 12:30 PM.
To say that the growth and notoriety of the Long Beach Polar Bears has been amazing is definitely understated. In 2001 they were able to raise $12,000 and grant two wishes. This doubled the next year and has continued to grow exponentially since. In 2008, with an incredibly huge turnout, the Long Beach Polar Bears raised $270,000 and granted 35 wishes. In 2009 The Long Beach Polar Bears broke a Guinness World Record. Officials from Guinness were on hand to asses the number of folks that turned out for this important event.
To learn more about the Polar Bears, to register for future Super Bowl Splashes, to buy apparel or to make a direct donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation, visit: http://www.longbeachpolarbears.org/
Not only do many participants show up, but many many onlookers and cheering supporters show up as well. It is amazing to see many thousands of people convening on the beach on a winter morning.
This is always a major event for the Long Beach Auxiliary Police. Given the many thousands of people that show up, we are counted upon to provide necessary traffic and pedestrian control and well as directing vehicle parking. There will be many pedestrians and vehicles on the road. Traffic is expected to jam quickly as thousands of participants and supporters head to Broadway and Riverside Boulevard. After the event, the traffic conditions will continued, but in reverse as participants and onlooker leave the beach and boardwalk.
This is an ALL HANDS event. Given the relatively slow season for special event training, uniformed and especially probationary officers are always urged to get and maintain necessary training by participating in the somewhat rare winter season events. Muster will be at 10:30 Am at Auxiliary PD HQ.