Massachusetts police departments brave frigid ocean temperatures to support Make-A-Wish

Sunday was the third day of spring, but it didn't exactly feel like beach weather. That didn't stop police officers from several Merrimack Valley-area departments from running straight into the cold water at Short Beach in Nahant.

The event marked the culmination of a fundraising effort that included selling custom patches, helping departments raise thousands of dollars for Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

"It took a little bit of buy-in, a little bit of selling, but for Make-A-Wish, I think we're going to brave the waters for this great cause and organization," said Lt. Brian Gendron of the Westford Police Department.

Polar plunge for Make-A-Wish

Westford among eight departments taking part, including Billerica, Chelmsford, Carlisle, Nahant, Stoneham, Tyngsborough, and Tewksbury.

Organizers say the money raised plays a critical role in supporting children facing serious illnesses and their families.

"It raises money that is critical to helping us achieve our mission of granting wishes for children with life-threatening critical illnesses, but also as a show of support for the families that we serve, for these families who are going through so much," said Kara Walker with Make-A-Wish.

How Make-A-Wish helps families

Among those families is the LeConti family. Brianna LeConti's younger brother Bryce had a wish granted in 2010, an experience that left a lasting impact.

"It was very healing, we got to be together as a family, something that was very rare as he spent most of my childhood in the hospital," LeConti explained. "Just heal together and be together and be what we would say a typical family."

Back on the beach, officers sprinted across the sand and into the cold Atlantic Ocean, drawing cheers as they showed their support.

"We have a long-standing culture of community involvement, and if you have a happy police department, you have happy communities, so that's the most important thing," said Dep. Chief Gary Hannagan of Chelmsford Police.

The chattering teeth-filled smiles told the story as officers shouted "Make-A-Wish" after emerging from the water.

The fundraising push comes just ahead of Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island granting its 11,000th wish to a 4-year-old in Marblehead next weekend.