More than 100 people plunged into the cold waters of Lake Simcoe on Saturday, March 7, as part of the annual Take The Plunge fundraiser at Friday Harbour Resort in Innisfil.

The event, hosted by McCully from Rock 95, raises money for the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Foundation in support of the Keep Life Wild campaign, according to Barrie 360.

Fundraider total passes $65,000

Since it launched in 2023, Take The Plunge has raised more than $65,000. Organizers say the event keeps growing in both the number of participants and the amount of money it brings in.

Money raised through this year's plunge will support RVH's North Campus expansion in Barrie as well as the long-planned Innisfil healthcare facility, Barrie 360 reported.

Innisfil hospital plans move forward

The future Innisfil hospital has been in the works for years. In October 2021, RVH announced it had picked an 83-acre property at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Innisfil Beach Road as the site.

The project is expected to unfold over roughly 20 years and will eventually become a full-service hospital.

About 10 per cent of RVH patients currently come from Innisfil, according to the report, which points to the growing demand for healthcare closer to home in the region.

Keep Life Wild campaign aims to nearly double RVH

Take The Plunge supports RVH's Keep Life Wild campaign, a major fundraising effort aimed at expanding the hospital's capacity to serve one of Ontario's fastest-growing regions.

The campaign includes plans to nearly double the size of RVH, with a new nine-storey inpatient tower that would add 240 beds along with expanded treatment spaces.

Take The Plunge has become a winter highlight at Friday Harbour, drawing participants, donors and spectators from across the region.

Organizers expect the event to keep growing in the years ahead as more residents learn about it and get involved.

Although this year's plunge is over, donations to the RVH Foundation can still be made year-round to support ongoing healthcare expansion projects and future community fundraising events.

For many who took the icy dip on Saturday, the freezing temperatures were a small price to pay to help bring better healthcare closer to home.