TIFTON — Wingate Whitley was the top earner at Tuesday’s Polar Bear Plunge, but all 11 charities involved in the slide at the Hunt Park pool came out winners. Tiftarea YMCA director Darian Peavy announced that $10,465.27 was raised in the annual event.

Whitley, representing the Patticake House, brought in $3,075. As the winner, 100 percent of his earnings go to the group.

Rounding out the top five were Vicki Taft for Hospice of Tiftarea ($1,896), Bret Wagenhorst for Meals on Wheels ($1,502.77), Peavy for Family Promise ($1,235) and Ted McElroy for Called to Care ($910). Fifty percent of the funds for places 2-11 go to the charity, with the other 50 percent funding the YMCA.

As is custom, all participants celebrated by sliding into the pool. Usually the water on Jan. 1 is quite chilly.

Unlike other Plunges, Tuesday morning was T-shirt weather.

The 66 degrees of the water at the end of the slide was not only what Peavy said was the “warmest the water has been in a long time,” it was 20 degrees higher than a year ago.

“We got hot chocolate,” said Peavy before the event started. “We should have had lemonade.” No one even needed to warm up in the heated pool after hitting the water. Most involved plunged at least two times.

Other participants at the Polar Bear Plunge were Jana Barfield for Coastal Plain CASA, Mike Beeman for Ruth’s Cottage, Reneta Elad for Save Our Pets, Staci Griffin for the Tift County Commission on Children and Youth, T.J. Mauldin for YoungLife and Jennifer Woodall for Pregnancy Care Center of Tiftarea.

Woodall was sick and unable to take the plunge, said Peavy. Taking her place on the slide was Andy Marzen.