By LAURA M. RECKFORD
Courtesy of The Falmouth Enterprise

At 11 AM yesterday William J. Bingham III of North Falmouth drove into the New Silver Beach parking lot in the pouring rain, took off his shoes and waded ankle-deep into the water. Then he took out his temperature gauge and tested the water. Forty-eight degrees. Not bad.

Mr. Bingham, who lives on Curley Boulevard, was one of about 50 people who participated in yesterday’s New Year’s Day Run and Dunk—a six-mile run and plunge into the bay—to benefit the Cape Cod Center for Women, which helps women who have been victims of domestic violence.

At 1 PM, the scheduled time for the dunk, about 50 men, women and children stampeded into the surf, dove, dipped and splashed, laughed, screamed and gasped, and emerged triumphant.

Why did they do it? For the good cause, of course, but that was not the only reason.

Dr. Peter T. Lind of West Falmouth, a pediatrician who is in practice with Dr. Gregory W. Parkinson of North Falmouth, the event organizer, said, "Every once in a while, you have to check whether you still have it—that little child inside you." Before jumping in the water, Dr. Lind, who is 36, added, "This is the real test of finding the kid inside you."

Bret Folger, 12 and Nolan Kitts, 13, who both attend the Lawrence School, were the first to plunge in.
As to why, Bret responded, "We thought it would be fun to jump in the ocean."

Afterward, when asked how he felt, Brett responded, "Freezing."

Nolan’s father, Drew Kitts of Mullen Way, Falmouth, and friend, Dale R. Seibt of Ter Heun Drive, Falmouth, were the second pair to plunge in.

After the plunge, Mr. Kitts said, "It’s actually not too bad." But he added, "It’s definitely better out here than in there."

Mr. Bingham, who has participated in polar plunges in past years, said he has assigned himself the role of temperature-taker, since he uses a water gauge as part of his job at Sapphire Engineering in Pocasset.

He pointed out that last year on January 1, the water was, at 38 degrees, a full 10 degrees colder.

Despite the pouring rain, Mr. Bingham, who showed up 45 minutes early, predicted people would turn out for the event.

"People who do this are pretty hard-core. They will come," he said.

At about 11:20, the Piers family from East Sandwich pulled into the parking lot. Rebecca Piers’s mother, L. Charlene Martinez of Jessica Way, Waquoit, met them at the beach. When they found out they had arrived about an hour and a half early for the 1 PM plunge, Jonathan Piers decided they would jump in early.

He prodded his sons, Ethan 10, and Benjamin, 7, to run to the water with him. But a few feet from the water, Benjamin decided the plunge into icy water was not such a good idea. He began running in the opposite direction.

Mr. Piers ran after Benjamin, picked him up and brought him to the edge of the surf. Benjamin again ran in the opposite direction. Mr. Piers gave up on Benjamin and dived in the water, calling for Ethan to join him. Ethan got about knee deep and hesitated. Mr. Piers tried to convince him. It was no use. The three ran back to the car where Ms. Piers was waiting.

"My job was to keep the towels warm," Ms. Piers said.

Mr. Piers declared the New Year’s Day dunk would be a new Piers family tradition.

Benjamin was enthusiastic. Ethan wasn’t so sure. Would he go in next year? "Maybe," Ethan said.

By 11:30 AM, the weather had turned to driving rain and wind.

Dr. Parkinson, Michael R. Quinn of Pocasset and Dr. Garry L. Brake of Hatchville, the organizers of the event, had arrived. They were handing out runner’s numbers and offering hot chocolate and donuts.

Dr. Parkinson and Mr. Quinn, who owns the Allen Walker Insurance agency in Taunton, first started the New Year’s Day tradition of a run and a swim four years ago. Dr. Parkinson said he originally asked Mr. Quinn to join him because Mr. Quinn is "an overall good sport and he agreed to do this."

This was the first "official" New Year’s Day Run and Dunk, though, said Sandra J. Parkinson, Dr. Parkinson’s wife. This year, they advertised the event and got a permit from the town to hold it, and accepted donations. They raised $1,300 for the Cape Cod Center for Women.

Had there been any emergencies, there were plenty of doctors on hand.

Besides pediatricians Dr. Parkinson and Dr. Lind, and general surgeon Dr. Brake, there was Dr. Jeanne M. Mase, a family practitioner in East Falmouth.

Ms. Parkinson said because of the weather, they had received several phone calls from people who would not be coming. They had originally been expecting 80 people.

As it turned out, there were about 50 dunkers. Fifteen people ran the entire six miles and 25 people ran a portion of it. Twenty children ran the last half-mile of the route.

The Parkinsons’ children—Catherine, 12, Andrew, 9, and Christopher, 7—all dunked, as did Dr. Brake’s children, Choe, who is 12, and Christy, who is 9.

Mr. Quinn’s sons, Kristopher, 9, and Dylan, 7, both jumped in the water as well.

After he came out of the water, Dr. Parkinson seemed energized. "I feel warm actually," he said.

Ms. Parkinson said they definitely want to make the New Year’s Run and Dunk an annual event.

"Considering the weather, we were quite pleased with the amount of people who turned out and also raising that much money," she said.

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This article ran in the Falmouth Enterprise on Tuesday, January 2, 2007.

Sorry there is no newspaper link because of technical difficulties.