By eight years old, Joey Cerato had lost his grandfather to cancer and seen his father survive cancer.

At the age of nine, Joey wanted to create a charity to help those facing serious illnesses.

On a cold winter morning, January 1, 2006, Joey, now age eleven, saw his dream become a reality with Joey's Polar Plunge. Joey took pledges from family and friends to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean, New Years Day, with the L Street Brownies in South Boston, Massachusetts. His goal was to raise $1,500 to sponsor a family to attend Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, in Casco, Maine. Joey exceeded everyone's expectations by raising nearly $6,000.

January 1, 2007, Joey's Polar Plunge entered it's second year. This year, he would have 35 other plungers join him, raising $21,000. Camp Sunshine, inspired by Joey, added five polar plunges of their own. Between Joey's Polar Plunge and Camp Sunshine's plunges, the idea of a nine year old boy, had become a $200,000 windfall.

February 7, 2008, another milestone was reached for Joey's Polar Plunge and all it's supporters.  Joey signed the commitment letter for Camp Sunshine's endowment fund, creating the Joey's Polar Plunge Family Sponsorship Fund, with an initial investment of $37,000.  Future plunges will be added to this fund, sending more families to Camp Sunshine.  For every $25,000 invested, one family will attend Camp Sunshine every year.

Joey would have never been able to grow this event to what it is today without the help of some very special friends: Jim Laughlin of Life is good®, Adam Klein and Erin Callanan of Callanan & Klein Communications Inc., Hank Morse of Greater Media Inc., Mike Barry of the VFW in Westford, Massachusetts, Fred Ahern of the L Street Brownies, Camp Sunshine, and the love and support of family and friends.

Mark your calender: New Years Day 2009 at 1663 Columbia Road, South Boston, Massachusetts, hope to see you there!

Click Here for 2009 Plunge Sign-up