THE second year of Cobden's Big Freeze took 10 south-west fundraisers' breaths away as they braved icy-cold water at the town's recreation reserve.
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The event raised more than $30,000 towards research in the hope to one day find a cure for motor neurone disease.
Dressed as Donald Trump, King Neptune, Jon Snow, Ariel, or wearing local football and netball uniforms, they slid a curved slide into a pool packed with 1200 kilograms of ice.
Camperdown's Peter Reilly, dressed as Wally from Where's Wally?, leaped from the slide headfirst and said the plunge made him gasp for breath.
"It was really, really cold. A lot colder than I thought," Peter said.
Cobden Football Netball Club president Darren Mounsey, dressed as King Neptune, said he entered the chilly event after the father of a coach at the club had passed away from the disease.
"I've had friends who have passed away from the disease, and it's something we need a cure for," Darren said.
Berni Sinnott, principal at Camperdown's Mercy Regional College, took the plunge dressed in the school's uniform.
"I thought I should go as one of the students, since a lot of the students probably raised money for the cause," Berni said.
"I'm feeling numb, I guess that's better than being cold."
Cobden's Sarah Dunn organised the event with her friend Tracy Telford, from Warrnambool, after Sarah lost her dad to MND following a short battle with the disease.
"It's a cruel disease what it does," Mrs Dunn said. "It's a death sentence once you're diagnosed, 27 months is the average life expectancy for a diagnosis."
She said the event, based on Melbourne's Big Freeze at the G, was about giving hope to families affected by MND.
"One day someone who gets diagnosed with it will get treated for it," Mrs Dunn said.
"We are overwhelmed that the Cobden, Camperdown and Warrnambool communities have gotten behind us, all have raised amazing amounts of money that goes straight to MND researchers to help find a cure."
Mrs Dunn said fundraising had already exceeded last year's total.
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