SURF CITY, NC (WECT) - Some of the unusually warm days of January are a great time to head to Surf City and take the kids or your dog on a stroll along the beach strand. But with the water temperature in the 50s during the first month of the year, you don't find many people venturing out into the water.
But, January 1 over 5,000 people took a quick dip into the Atlantic as part of the annual Dolphin Dip Extravaganza.
The Dolphin Dip was first held ten years ago, started by Brian Moxey. Moxey has been swimming in cold water for years and came up with the idea of the Dolphin Dip first with some friends and then it caught on.
"I've had a habit of swimming on New Year's Day, by myself, with my son, with my dogs, in cold water, it feels good," said Moxey. "So it all started with that, ten years ago, I got 20 friends together, talked them into it, it was difficult, but I talked them into it and we went it, and it has grown from there."
Moxey and his wife, Rebecca, are still counting up the money raised, but it looks like this year will net out about $7,500, which will be donated to the Home for the Warriors group in Jacksonville.
Tim Milan says it is great to have an employee who is so dedicated to the community, as Moxey is.
"Every year, he get a lot of excitement, a lot of people out there and he brings awareness to a lot of organizations here in our market that really needs it," said Tim Milam, owner of Sun Coast Realty, where Moxey works. "It has been fun to watch, I have jumped into the ocean with him three times now, he has been here three years, it is a good cause, he does a great job, he and his wife Rebecca."
And normally, January is a time when not a lot of people head to the beach. Surf City Mayor Zander Guy says it is a great economical boost to Surf City.
"As you remember, the Jaycees have a creed, Service to humanity is truly the best way of life," said Guy. "Brian truly believes that, by his work and we are fortunate to see evidence of that here in Surf City."
So for his work in starting the annual Dolphin Dip and for keeping it going for the past ten years, we salute Brian Moxey as our January Cape Fear Hero.
For his selection as our January Cape Fear Hero, Brian receives a $500 gift certificate from Reeds Jewelers.
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