Over 200 Peoples Gas 'Plungers' make a splash for Chicago Polar Plunge

CHICAGO, March 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 200 individuals representing Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas braved the frigid Lake Michigan waters and made a huge splash during the 20(th) Annual Chicago Polar Plunge Sunday, March 1, at North Avenue Beach.

Peoples Gas, one the event's largest fundraising teams, raised more than $160,000 to benefit the more than 7,500 athletes of Special Olympics Chicago. Since the company first joined the effort in 2016, it has raised over $400,000 to support the organization with the help of employees and partners.

Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Senior Vice President Andy Hesselbach led company employees, their family members and friends in taking the plunge into icy Lake Michigan.

"We're proud to participate in our fifth Polar Plunge and show our support for the thousands of athletes and their families served by Special Olympics," said Hesselbach. "It is part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where we do business and where our customers and employees live and work."

Joining this year's People Gas Plungers were partners from SDI Presence, Meade, Patrick Engineering, Utility Resource Group, Pipe View America, F.H. Paschen, Henkels & McCoy, Accenture, and Black and Veatch.

Peoples Gas, through its community involvement, strives to support programs that contribute to and make a difference in local communities in the areas of education, arts, neighborhood and community development and human services and health. In 2019, employees donated thousands of volunteer hours to various nonprofit organizations.

"We've set a really high bar for next year, but I know we'll be up for the challenge," said Hesselbach.

Peoples Gas, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group (NYSE: WEC), is a regulated natural gas delivery company that serves more than 869,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the city of Chicago. You can find more information about natural gas safety, energy efficiency and other energy-related topics at peoplesgasdelivery.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook @peoplegaschi.

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SOURCE Peoples Gas