By Hadas Kuznits

BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) – Over 800 people took a dip in the freezing cold Delaware River here at Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem.

As one participant described it, “It was freezing, but I loved it!”
Reporter: “You love that because…?”
“I loved it because it was for a great cause!”

That cause is the Special Olympics.

“Well, the Special Olympics is a really great thing. It’s a really great organization and sometimes you have to do crazy things for a good cause.”

“The funds that we raise here will go to underwrite our competition events,” said Matt Aaron, president and CEO of the Special Olympics in Pennsylvania. “So, we bring athletes from all over the state together for these big statewide competitions and the most wonderful thing in my mind is that our athletes don’t pay anything to compete.”

He said participants raised an estimated $200,000 to support about 20,000 athletes.