Ten year old braves elements for Elders

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Some people spend weeks psyching themselves up to take part in one of the West Coast's annual Polar Bear Swims held in Vancouver on New Year's Day and in Nanaimo on Boxing Day.

A 10-year-old Native boy from Campbell River puts them all to shame. For 29 straight days last month, the Grade 5 student braved the icy Pacific Ocean waters of the Georgia Strait and went swimming in the waters of his hometown to raise money for an Elders' conference to be held in the East Vancouver Island city this summer. While most B.C. communities are still held in winter's icy grip in February, spring starts to poke its head out on Vancouver Island. But the Pacific water surrounding the island remains bone-numbingly cold. If you want to get some idea of how cold, fill your bathtub with cold water and thrown in a pail of ice cubes.

"It's like the coldest water you could ever get," said Jake Hebenton, trying to describe his frigid adventure during an interview with Raven's Eye.

It started with a brainstorming session between Jake's mom Sheryl Thompson and her sister, who is head of the food committee. They were sitting at the kitchen table racking their brains trying to figure out how to raise money for the Elders' conference when Jake piped in that he was willing to do polar dips.

The family had already held one Polar Bear Swim. That was New Year's Day on the Campbell River waterfront.

"He was just adamant," said his mom. "That's just him. He always makes me laugh."

She stressed to him that once he committed to it and she made up pledge sheets, there was no turning back.

"I stressed: 'Are you sure you would do it?' and I stressed what he was taking on since there might be days he didn't want to do it. I thought this was a good lesson for life."

Jake jumped in with both feet and there was no turning back.

"It just snowballed," said Sheryl, whose Native ancestry comes from her mother, Patricia Piatocka, president of the Campbell River and District Golden Age Elders, which is hosting the July 10 to 13 gathering of Elders which could attract as many as 5,000 people. Piatocka is the daughter of Hereditary Chief William Roberts.

On a typical day last month, Sheryl, who teaches the Kwakwalla language to six classes of elementary students, would leave school at 3 p.m., pick up Jake and in the three minute ride to the waterfront, he'd put on a pair of shorts and old runners. Sheryl would put out a sign saying Jake's Polar Swim, a professional sign with the picture of a polar bear on it which had been donated by a local business. Jake would go to the water and skip some rocks and then would run as fast as he could into the water and dive underneath. But the water was so cold, Jake would come out with his head hurting and would be bundled in a warm sleeping bag by his mom. Some days the waves were crashing on the beach and the wind was blowing a gale.

From time to time Jake's dog Lily would join him and every third day or so, he'd go in again - this time walking. On the 28th day, he had company, but on the 29th of February he went in three times: the second because it was a Leap Year and the third for his Granny Roberts who passed away on Feb. 29, 1988. He was joined on his swim the last day by the school's vice-principal and some of the students. The day before the school held an assembly in Jake's honor and gave him a cheque for $200.

"Everybody was saying: 'Right on, you're the man, Jake,'" he said.

Sheryl and Jake set a goal of $1,500 and raised that through pledges.

Then money started rolling in as news of Jake's feat spread across the province. A Washington State donation was prompted by a story in a Victoria newspaper.

"It's phenomenal the words of encouragement that Jake has been getting. Right now we're at $2,500 and still getting mail," said Sheryl, who expects to pass $3,000. A cheque will be presented to the Golden Agers about the end of March.

The cost of fruit for breakfast for one day of the gathering will be about $1,500. Jak's polar dips will cover the cost of two days if donations and pledges reach $3,000. And he'll have gone a long way to have spared the Elders from having to eat at the local McDonald's.

Donations and letters can be sent to Jake Hebenton, 135 Petersen Road, Campbell River, B.C., V9W 3H1.