FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WOAY)- Some brave souls welcomed 2026 with the thrill of the chill.
They converged on Fayette Station to take part in Fayetteville’s Polar Swim.
A freezing dip, a fresh start – that’s how these plungers welcomed the new year.
“This is really, like, honestly a rewarding experience,” said Fayetteville resident and First-Time Polar Plunger Crystal Kyle. “And we jumped twice.”
She also encouraged her sister to bravely take the plunge.
“I’m in recovery. So my sister thought it would be wonderful for me to start my year full of adventure and good, clean things,” first-time polar plunger and Lewisburg resident Courtney Amick said.
Inspired by his wife, Colby, a polar plunger since sophomore year in high school, Beckley resident and first-time polar plunger Myles Hutton braved the chilly waters.
“More than a little bit,” said Hutton, of how cold the water was. “I can’t really feel my feet right now, but it was totally worth it.”
In 2025, Jared Swanson and a couple of friends independently jumped into Hawks Nest, right by his house. He decided to give Fayetteville a shot this year.
“It was really fun to come out here and just be part of a bigger group to bring in the new year,” Anstead Resident and First-Time Polar Plunger Swanson said. “You feel really good afterwards. It’s a little bit of an endorphin rush.”
With a new year comes a sense of renewal.
“We’re going to have a good year this year. We needed a big change,” said Fayetteville Resident Keeley Allen, a first-time polar plunger. “It was very cold. The worst part was my feet.”
The consensus among everyone I spoke to is that they would dive into another new year.
“Oh, 100 percent,” Hutton said.
Added Allen, “Absolutely. I would love to do it again one day.”
