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Freeze for Life set for Saturday

LAKE GENEVA — It doesn’t take quite the—how should we say it—communal insanity that it does to jump into a frozen body of water. But it’s awfully close.

Freeze for Life, a local charity event now in its second year, asks people to participate in water skiing, wakeboarding or wake surfing on the chilly waters of Geneva Lake to raise money for a good cause.

The event is planned for Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Riviera Beach in downtown Lake Geneva.

Dalton Waldeck founded the event in memory of his father, Kevin Waldeck, a longtime history teacher who died of pancreatic cancer in January 2007. The annual event raises money for scholarships for local high school students and for cancer research.

Last year, about 70 participants showed up for a chance to be pulled behind a boat on the frigid lake and more than 200 people came just to watch, Waldeck said. The event raised about $20,000, he said.

This year, organizers have improved the event so more people should be able to take to the water, Waldeck said. The goal is to raise $30,000, he said.

Participants are asked to make a minimum donation of $60, which gets them one trip out on the water and a commemorative T-shirt, Waldeck said. But they also are asked to solicit donations and spread the word about the event, he said.

On Freeze for Life day, almost anything goes.

Some participants “dress up” for the event. Some do tricks. Others get in and out of the water as quickly as possible so they can spend time in the hot tubs on the beach.

“It’s all about whatever people want to do,” Waldeck said. “As long as people show up looking to have fun, we’ll get them out there.”

Prizes donated by area businesses are awarded to stand-out participants, such as the one who wore the best costume, the one who performed the best trick or the one who raised the most money.

The event would not be possible if not for some key sponsors, Waldeck said.

Gage Marine provides the boats that pull footers, boarders and tubers on the water. The Lake Geneva Cruise Line provides a heated, enclosed boat where people can wait. Clear Water Outdoor and The Board Shop provide equipment and suits.

“It’s a great feeling to have the community come out for this purpose,” Waldeck said. “More and more it’s being viewed as a celebration of my dad’s life instead of a memorial event.

“It’s definitely an amazing feeling to look out at the lake and the beach and see so many people out there having fun.”