OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Saving lives and celebrating lives were the themes of a fundraiser held to benefit the American Cancer Society in Old Orchard Beach on Saturday. 

More than 100 cancer survivors, family members, friends and allies came together for the second-annual Fire and Ice event, held at The Brunswick Resort, to raise funds for the organization’s Relay for Life of York County. 

True to its name, brave souls on both sides of the spectrum took part in themed challenges to raise funds, with some gorging themselves in all-you-can-eat hot wings from vendors across southern Maine — the “fire” — and others facing the cold Atlantic waters in a polar plunge — the ice.

“The goal is to raise funds and awareness for cancer, and our life-saving research and the programs and services that we offer here in Maine,” ACS Program Co-Organizer Brian Casalinova said at the event. 

Last year’s event saw 10 people jump into the cold ocean waters, with several others taking advantage of the hot wing buffet. That event raised $5,000 for the nonprofit ACS, with funds directly benefiting cancer research.

This year, about twice that number tiptoed, dove or were pushed into the freezing sea, with bone-chilling winds howling above. More than 100 took part in the easier, and arguably more fun event — feasting on hot wings. 

According to Dawn Emery, another co-organizer for the event, both her and Casalinova had opposing ideas for a fundraiser. Instead of argue, they married the two ideas into one and Fire and Ice was born. 

For Emery, the polar plunge, which she did describe as “crazy,” was an opportunity to highlight the struggle experienced by those in cancer treatment.

“I think certainly going in the water is an opportunity for us to talk about courage and bravery,” she said. “I think that a lot of people who don’t know what that journey is like — and thank goodness there are people out there who don’t know what that’s like — have an opportunity to realize … what cancer patients are going through.” 

The event was also a chance for survivors and their families to focus on something positive, in light of trying times.

“The more people who get together and do something positive definitely gets the message out,” Casalinova said. “You can have some fun doing this. Cancer is not a fun thing, but you can get together and have fun, raise money and raise awareness.”

And fun, they had. For those taking the polar plunge, the experience was a statement of their own strength and courage.

“Walking out into that cold water is a piece of cake,” said Theresa Huck of Portland, who in June will be a six-year cancer survivor. “(Treatment) was tough. This is easy. I go in the water, I come out, I’m done. Radiation was tough but if I can just raise that one more dollar that might tip the scale in our favor, I’m all for it.”

For Tim Lapointe, whose wife Kathy was diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer in 2004, taking the plunge was an opportunity to inspire confidence in those suffering from the deadly disease.

“Everybody’s been touched by cancer,” said Lapointe, whose wife has been cancer-free for seven years. “The 15 below zero wind chill in the cold water is nothing compared to what the survivors go through, as far as chemo, radiation, just the diagnosis.”

And would he do it again? In a heartbeat, he said. 

“This is nothing compared to what they go through every day. … You have to just stay fighting the fight.”

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].