• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

West Haven Voice

West Haven’s only independent news source - By and For West Haven

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Advertise With Us!
  • Classified
  • Announcements
  • Contact Us
  • Web Exclusive
    • Kids Activity Pages

20th ‘Icy Plunge’ at Savin Rock Saturday

January 30, 2019 By whvoice

By Michael P. Walsh

Special to the Voice

The 19th annual Icy Plunge for the Cure will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Savin Rock Beach.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. in the Savin Rock Conference Center, 6 Rock St.

The Icy Plunge was spearheaded by city and police officials to increase breast cancer awareness. Their initial meeting, on Sept. 28, 2000, led to the creation of the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Committee and a series of fundraisers — including the plunge, the first of which took place Jan. 13, 2001 — in support of breast cancer research and education.

The benefits, which included a duckpin bowling tournament, bake sale, pizza taste-off, walkathon and candlelight vigil, were held in memory of Susan A. Ruickoldt, a third-grade Savin Rock Community School teacher who died of breast cancer in 1997.

In 2003, the committee established the Susan A. Ruickoldt Scholarship Fund, which awards $2,000 to a female high school senior from West Haven who plans to continue her education.

Today, the scholarship fund and plunge are the committee’s remaining initiatives, said city Human Resources Commissioner Beth A. Sabo, a founding member who is joined on the committee by founders Maureen Blake, Jennifer Cavallaro, Ronald M. Quagliani, Susan See, Colleen Smullen and Lorie Tamaro, as well as new member Anthony Cordone.

“It has truly been an unbelievable run for the plunge and scholarship,” Sabo has said.

The first 100 people to register for the frosty dip will receive “plungewear.” The top fundraiser will receive a prize.

Participants will wait on the beach for the signal to charge into the frigid surf of Long Island Sound. Wetsuits are not allowed.

About 175 people took part in last year’s plunge, which netted $25,000, Sabo said.

Since the inaugural plunge, the committee has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for breast cancer research and education, buoyed by Cordone, a local contractor who has raised close to $200,000 for the cause during that time, Sabo said.

Proceeds have previously gone to the Smilow Breast Center at Yale New Haven Hospital and Looking Forward, an education and wellness program for cancer patients at Smilow.

Organizers hope to make this year’s event the biggest ever, with invitations extended to Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and her predecessors, former Mayors Edward M. O’Brien, John M. Picard and H. Richard Borer Jr.

After the plunge, organizers will hold a raffle with prizes donated by area businesses.

Sabo said the event is a celebration of survivors and a remembrance of loved ones who have died of the disease.

Registration forms are available in the Department of Human Resources on the second floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Pledges for the plunge must be handed in the day of the event, Sabo said. Checks are payable to the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program.

Download a registration/pledge form at https://ct-westhaven.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1725/Icy-Plunge-for-the-Cure-Registration-Pledge-Form-PDF.

For information or to sponsor the plunge, call Sabo at 203-937-3558.

Send donation checks to the West Haven Breast Cancer Awareness Program, Department of Human Resources, 355 Main St., West Haven 06516.

Filed Under: 013119

Primary Sidebar

Seach our site

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Historian's Corner ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Historian’s Corner

westhavenvoice.com

Historian’s Corner June 4, 2025 By whvoice 1 Comment By Dan Shine Voice Columnist West Haven Veterans Museum Part II See part 1 The West Haven Veterans Museum and Learning Center offers exhibits on ...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Letters ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Letters

westhavenvoice.com

Letters June 4, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Peace Officer Memorial proposed Thursday, May 15, marked National Peace Officers Memorial Day. It is a day that we honor and remember law enforcement of...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Editorial ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Editorial

westhavenvoice.com

Editorial June 4, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment Have we learned a lesson? The recent decision by the Municipal Accountability Review Board (MARB) has been hailed by city officials as a banner day fo...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Dear Felicia ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Dear Felicia

westhavenvoice.com

Dear Felicia June 4, 2025 By whvoice Leave a Comment By the time yew git this missive, m’dear, it’s the beginning of June! It seems hard to believe in many ways. It seems Cobina was shoveling the ...
2 weeks ago
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

 

 

West Haven’s Calendar

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Thursday Night Live (This one's on Friday!!!)

tockify.com

Fri 23 Jun, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM [EDT]: Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT Old Grove Park Public · Anyone on or off Facebook West Haven summer concerts are back! Join us in West Haven thi...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Mark Your West Haven Calendar

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/442/1686776400000

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum

tockify.com

Wed 14 Jun, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM [EDT]: Business After Hours West Haven Veterans Museum West Haven Veterans Museum & Learning Center Event by Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, CT West Haven Veterans ...
View Comments
  • likes Like 0
  • Comments: 0
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

West Haven Calendar
2 years ago
West Haven Calendar

Added for June 10th & 11th

tockify.com/west.haven.calendar/detail/443/1686405600000

West Haven Historical Society Open House
... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

West Haven Historical Society Open House

tockify.com

Sat 10 Jun, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM [EDT]:
View Comments
  • likes Like 2
  • Comments: 1
  • Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

Footer

Address

West Haven Voice
840 Boston Post Road
West Haven, CT

 

Contact us

Call (203) 934-6397

Contact form

SITE NAVIGATION

HOME
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
ADVERTISE!
CLASSIFIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTACT US
WEB EXCLUSIVE

FIND US IN PRINT

Our print edition is available each Thursday. Here is a list of locations!

Letters Policy

Information on submitting letters to us.

Our submission deadlines.

Copyright © 2025 West Haven Voice, LLC