Polar Plunge participants | courtesy of Special Olympics Michigan

This will be the dumbest thing I've ever done. And I've done some pretty dumb things.

1) Lived in a one bedroom apartment with four cats
2) Dated a cellist in a folk-pop band
3) Purchased $1,000 worth of suits after watching too many episodes of Mad Men in a row
4) Helped my mom set up a Facebook page

Where will "jumping into a frozen pond while dressed like a unicorn" debut on that list? The email was forwarded to the Bureau of Bad Ideas (me) by Jen Eyer, my community director at AnnArbor.com.

"We are planning our annual Polar Plunge at the U of M golf course on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Any way we can get someone on your staff to take the plunge?"

Jen has to be careful with the lives of those actually under contract at AnnArbor.com — she's liable for their well-being. Me, I'm a hired gun. If I hit the water and my heart stops, they'll just go out and recruit someone else to write about shopping cart races and burger eating contests. This is the dumbest assignment I've ever accepted. Thinking about jumping into an ice cold pond in February does things to my body that can't be printed, which is why I accepted. Why not put my mortality to the test!

The Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Polar Plunge raises funds for Special Olympics Michigan and its athletes. A series of 24 polar plunges throughout the state is part of a larger initiative by the national body which organizes polar plunges in all 50 states. Even Special Olympics Hawaii holds a polar plunge — with brave Hawaiian souls jumping into massive pools of freezing ice water. Aloha, suckers.

Polar Plungers | courtesy of Special Olympics Michigan

In Michigan, where freezing bodies of water are more plentiful, they'll hold the polar plunge the old fashioned way.

"We'll cut a hole in the ice and jump in," says Anne Rogers, Special Olympics Michigan Director.

The Ann Arbor plunge is at the U-M golf course in the pond next to the 18th green. My first worry was dancing around in the snow in a Speedo showing the world the fallout from Thanksgiving, Christmas and Super Bowl binge eating. Luckily, there's a costume component to the plunge which will help me conceal my flesh but probably make me sink a lot faster.

"We've had ballerinas and cave men, mermaids, super heroes, even a whole curling team one year," says Rogers. "There are prizes for the best costume, so some people get really creative."

I asked to speak with someone who has experience with polar plunges, and Anne volunteered to tell me her story. She took the plunge back-to-back years and explained that the anticipation was worse than the actual jump.

"Fear of the unknown," she says. "Is my heart going to stop? I was nervous, but it was quick. I jumped in and jumped out, and I was warm in five minutes. I thought I'd be cold for a week, but it was really no big deal."

Rogers' 10 year-old daughter took the plunge last year and loved it so much that she jumped in again. This year she plans to take the plunge in two events, one in Pinckney and the other in Ann Arbor.

"She loves it," Rogers says.

Polar warriors | courtesy of Special Olympics Michigan

They expect 150 participants at the golf course, and Anne promises the plunge will be fun and safe.

"We'll have the fire department on hand as well as a professional dive team in the water to help out if they're needed," says Rogers. "We'll have tents with warm showers, towels, hot drinks — the works."

I'm sold — if only for the frogmen and the hot showers.

To join me on Feb. 19, visit www.somi.org to sign up for the Polar Plunge or learn more about the event. You can also contact Anne Rogers at roger2am@cmich.edu.

Richard Retyi writes the bi-weeklyish column Lie to Your Cats About Santa. He cut 200 words about the stages of hypothermia from this column because he doesn't want to fear monger, though he does admit there's a 5 percent chance his heart will stop when he hits the icy cold pond water. Read more at his co-blog InBedByEleven.com and email him your comments and story ideas at richretyi@gmail.com.