The 10th Annual AOH Polar Bear Plunge drew approximately 1,000 people to the Long Branch beachfront on Jan. 10, 2016. Watch video
LONG BRANCH - It was a rainy and chilly January morning... and then the sun came out, just in time for the 10th Annual Ancient Order of the Hibernians Polar Bear Plunge.
"Maybe it means God was listening to us, because we were praying really hard," said Jim Shaw, one of the event's organizers for the AOH. "We were going to go no matter what. We've had some years where we had air temperatures in the 20's and water temperatures at 33 degrees, so we've gone in much worse conditions. But it is definitely a lot more enjoyable with nicer weather like this."
The event, which raises money for the participating Catholic schools, began a decade ago with just two schools - Mater Dei Prep and St. Mary's School in Middletown - taking the plunge.
This year 26 schools and hundreds of plungers took part in the event which was held at Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant.
Since its inception, the event has raised approximately $850,000, which does not include money raised on Sunday.
"Its students, alumni, priests and nuns doing this, one year the bishop even jumped in," Shaw said. "We got another great crowd down here this year to support Catholic education, which is what we're all about."
For Mater Dei Prep students like senior Jim Keating, raising money for their school had an entirely new meaning for them this year, just months after their school was nearly shuttered by the Diocese of Trenton due to a lack of funds.
Keating, 18, took part in several plunges prior to this year's event, but he said this one was different.
"This one was special," said Keating, who ran into the water proudly waving his school's banner in the air. "Because even with all of the heartbreak we went through, we were able to come here together and do this again, and to have a lot of fun while supporting catholic education."
Saint John Vianney High School junior Edward Sheridan came to his first polar bear plunge event on Sunday dressed to impress - in a shirt, tie, a horse head and flippers.
"It was kind of hard to run with the flippers on, but it was a still fun," said Sheridan, 17, of East Brunswick. "I was expecting the water to be colder than it was, but it wasn't bad. It was definitely more fun than just sitting on the beach like you do in the summer."
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.