Team Jason Uhlik

For 14 years, we have been trying to answer the question, “Why do people do the Plunge?” Some people do it on a dare, as an adrenaline rush, to cross it off their ‘bucket list’, or any number of reasons. But for Team Jason Uhlik, the Plunge has taken on a special meaning – the significance as bittersweet as it is wonderful. So we asked Team Captain Ashley Uhlik Suprik to tell us in her own words why her team Plunges.

Why plunge? Everyone does it for a different reason. My reason is very special to my family, friends, and I. I first plunged with my brother, Jason, and 2 friends in 2006 because he thought it would be fun. My brother was a very caring guy and he thought this would be a great reason to raise money and do something a little crazy!

When he first told me he wanted me to jump in the water in January I thought he was nuts, but he kept asking - everyday in fact, until I finally said okay. So four us went down for the day and enjoyed the atmosphere. When it was time for the Plunge, we changed and ran as fast as we could in the water, with Jason reminding us that going all the way under was the only way to do it. So we did. As he helped me walk out of the water he kept saying, “That was so awesome, we have to do it next year and make it big, I mean big! Invite everyone, bring the motor home! It will be so much fun.”

But my brother never made it to his next Plunge. That September, my family and I went through the worst thing a family can go through together - the loss a young family member. My brother was in an accident in September 2006, and we lost him. Getting over this almost seemed impossible! The whole family pretty much stopped our lives for about 6 months. We did not know what to do, or where to turn.

So when the Plunge came around, I decided this was what I would do to remember my brother. I explained everything to my family and in 2007 we started Team Jason Uhlik in honor of my brother.

We made a large banner with his picture on it, team T-shirts with his picture, and asked any friends or family that had companies to sponsor our team. Jason was - and still is - our motivation for doing all of this. Over the past 3 years, we have raised over $36,000 for Special Olympics Maryland, and all because Jason talked 3 of us into trying it one time.

So now in 2010 we are ready to make it bigger then ever! I am a teacher at Kennedy Krieger Elementary School and this year the KKS's have decided to back our team. So we have renamed ourselves: TEAM JASON UHLIK AND KENNEDY KRIEGER SCHOOL.

To answer your question then of why does Team Jason Uhlik plunge? We do it to remember the best brother, son, boyfriend, and friend in the world - Jason.

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