Local celebrities and politicos braved snow and fierce wind Saturday morning, Feb. 11, to take the Polar Bear Plunge, an annual benefit for Meals on Wheels hosted by the Asheville Racquet Club. Asheville notables including Buncombe County commissioner David Gantt, interim Asheville Police Chief Wade Wood, and Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan dove haphazardly into the Racquet Club’s outdoor pool. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature was 31 degrees, with a windchill of 19 degrees. The event raised more than $20,000 for Meals on Wheels.
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