“I'm a pansy and it's cold, but no, I'm not nervous,” the first-time jumper said. “Not at all! I'm ready!”
Because the water temperature was 39 degrees, Brammer said it would probably feel like needles sticking her when she jumped in.
She jumped this year at the insistence of her friend, Jessica Simon.
“She's my best friend and I'll do whatever she says,” Brammer said.
Simon's father, Sam, founded the event about seven years ago. Jessica Simon was participating in her fifth plunge.
As the horn sounded at noon, Brammer and Simon joined about 62 others and jumped into the river to raise money for the local Boy Scout troop.
After getting out of the water, Brammer said the experience did indeed feel like needles. However, she said she'd do it again.
Brammer's mother, Carolyn, was one of the 40 or so spectators watching from the shore. Like her daughter, Carolyn Brammer also is a nurse.
She said plunging into the river could cause medical issues ranging from heart problems to the flu.
“It puts a stress on your system, mainly,” she said.
However, Carolyn Brammer wasn't too concerned about her daughter's participation.
“Nah, she's been through a lot of stuff,” she said.
Sam Simon apparently wasn't too concerned about the effects of jumping into the cold river either.
“Man, that felt like 1,000 needles at one time,” he said. “I've done it seven times now. Everybody likes to get together and have a fun time. It's a blast.”
The jumpers gathered at Blockhouse on Lawson Street and proceeded to the river via a Shriner hillbilly car.
Boy Scout leader Phil Malone was one of the event's coordinators.
“This was a great crowd and everybody had a good time,” he said. “The people didn't stay in the water too long this year because it's considerably cooler this year.”
Malone said about $200 was raised for the Boys Scouts from the plunge.
Ten jumpers more than last year participated on Monday.
JEFF BARRON can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 236.
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