The year 2016 is in its adolescence and we are already itching to get back into the water. The month of December felt more like August, and the bone chilling temperatures that associate with a Memphis winter have not fully sunken their teeth into our wet suits just yet. New Years Eve would be an early affair for many, but the dawning of January 1, 2016, would be rewarding for a multitude of ski junkies.
The Dream Factory of Memphis, behind an army of almost forty skiers, hosted the 39th annual Memphis Ski Freeze in our favorite Mud Island ski spot dubbed “The Ditch.” If you are familiar with Memphis Boat Center then you are familiar with The Ditch, and on New Years Day anyone with a screw loose in their head and a water ski could come participate in this southern take on the polar plunge.
Memphis Boat Center provided the boats for the event, and the money raised by spectator donations and skier participation went towards Brenan, a seventeen-year-old girl with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency or “The Bubble Boy” disease. Brenan has overcome many obstacles in her life, and the straight-A student hopes to one day work at St. Jude where she can give back to the people that helped save her life.
The event brought over two-hundred spectators to the Mud Island event site, and the donations peaked at over ten-thousand dollars with more still to come. The sun was shining and the boats were towing as the community got a freezing but fun jump on 2016. If you wish to learn more about Ski Freeze, visit their website below, and if you want to see how much fun they had watch the video recap created by our very own Enrique Martinez.
Happy New Year everyone! Let’s make 2016 one to remember!
Memphis Boat Center 