It started with a simple ask: help me make a difference.
Just under a month later, Lauren Beitzel had done much more than that. On Friday, February 20, Beitzel was one of 13 brave participants — dubbed the “Dunker’s Dozen” — to complete the first-ever Deep Creek Super Dunk, plunging into the icy waters of Deep Creek Lake once every hour for 12 straight hours.
From 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., she stepped into take-your-breath-away water 12 times, logging more than 20,000 steps and finishing the day with one bag of very wet clothes and a heart that was full. By the end of the event, Beitzel had raised $3,460 for Special Olympics Maryland. True to her word, she is matching that amount, directing an additional $3,460 to local non-profit Cindy’s Fund.
Lauren’s total impact: $6,920.
“I was calling in favors and asking for help,” Beitzel shared before the event. “No amount was too small.”
The community responded. With 68 individual donors, Beitzel had the highest number of supporters of any individual participant. Special Olympics Maryland staff noted how impressed they were with the speed of her fundraising especially given she had signed up barely a month prior to the event.
“I can officially say I was one of the Dunker’s Dozen,” she said afterward. “Collectively, we were able to raise almost $50,000 for Special Olympics Maryland and make forever memories.”
The inaugural Deep Creek Super Dunk pushed participants beyond the traditional single plunge format. Instead, each “dunker” committed to 12 separate icy immersions across 12 hours; a test of grit.
For Beitzel, the day was about more than braving the cold. It was about honoring Cindy’s Fund with a dollar-for-dollar match once her fundraising concluded. It was about showing up for athletes who train and compete year-round. And it was about leaning into a challenge that required grit and a whole lot of heart.
“Thanks again to everyone for their contributions and generosity,” she said. “Thank you for your financial support and sending all your love and prayers.” In the end, it wasn’t just about 12 dunks. It was about 68 people saying yes and nearly $7,000 directed to meaningful causes.
For more information about Special Olympics Maryland or to make a donation, visit: https://support.somd.org/fundraiser/6914191