Venecia’s Foundation’s annual Polar Plunge continues to bring unity and hope to Piedmont, Alabama
For 18-year-old cancer survivor Lillian Thacker, the Polar Plunge is personal. (Ashley Morrison / The Anniston Star)
Piedmont’s community pool was brimming with more than just cold water this past weekend; it overflowed with hope, unity and a profound sense of community during Venecia’s Foundation‘s 11th annual Polar Plunge.
Lillian Thacker, an 18-year-old who was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 8, said she takes the plunge each year because she is a cancer survivor. For her, this is personal.
Thacker, who attends Spring Garden High School, has been a shining example of resilience and courage. Her participation in the Polar Plunge is exactly what the Venecia’s Foundation envisioned as it symbolizes not just her fight against cancer, but also her commitment to giving back to the community that has supported her.
Venecia Butler. (Courtesy of Randa Carroll)
The event, and the Venecia’s Foundation, is a tribute to the late Venecia Butler, a Piedmont resident who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. It continues to draw both participants and supporters from all over. Butler founded Venecia’s Foundation in 2013 to directly aid cancer patients with comfort items and gas cards — necessities she knew were crucial during treatment.
“She wanted to do something that raised money that went straight to the patient,” said Randa Carroll, Butler’s sister.
Butler succumbed to cancer in 2015, but her legacy lives on through the foundation’s efforts. Carroll said her sister took the plunge herself, at the first one in 2013, and the event has been going strong ever since.
Calhoun County Commissioner Terry Howell has been a supporter of the event, taking the plunge for the past three years alongside Piedmont’s mayor.
“It’s a very great cause,” said Howell, whose dedication highlights the importance of community leaders actively participating in and supporting local events. “We all need to make a difference in this world, and this is one of them for me.”
The Polar Plunge has become one of Venecia’s Foundation’s major fundraisers, alongside its biggest event, the Crap Run, which is held every October. The support from Piedmont’s community has been unwavering, rallying around the cause year after year.
“The mayor and city employees are so great to open the pool at this time of year,” Carroll said, emphasizing the collaborative effort involved.
As participants emerged from the icy waters, shivering but smiling, the atmosphere was filled with a sense of accomplishment and shared purpose.
“She’s helped so many people in this community and other communities,” Carroll said of her sister. “We don’t just help Piedmont, people from Piedmont or people with breast cancer … any cancer.”
This article was originally published by The Anniston Star.
Community residents gather at the Piedmont Aquatic Center on a recent Saturday morning to take the ceremonial plunge into near-freezing water to raise money and awareness for Venecia’s Foundation, which was established in honor of Venecia Butler, who died of breast cancer in 2015. (Ashley Morrison / The Anniston Star)
