Important Notice for all Participants & Spectators - Risks, Liability, and Waiver

All participants and spectators:

(1) Acknowledge and assume the risk of injury or damage from this event and its activities in consideration of admission to participate or view;

(2) Release Chicago Polar Bear Club, NFP, its entities and affiliates, all event sponsors, staff volunteers and representatives from any claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of participation or viewing of this event;

(3) Consent to be identified, photographed or recorded, and to the use of such materials for promotional purposes in all media, worldwide, forever, without prior approval or compensation

Specifically, in consideration of my being permitted to participate in the Chicago Polar Bear Club Charity Fundraiser Polar Plunge (hereafter referred to as "the Event"), I agree to the following waiver and release:

I acknowledge that jumping into cold water, standing and walking upon ice, walking and lingering in the snow in the vicinity of the Event, lingering near and among the crowd gathered for the Event, and traveling to and from the Event and its various attractions have inherent risks, hazards and dangers. I understand that these risks, hazards and dangers include without limitation:

(1) risks arising from exposure to large and sudden changes in environmental temperatures that can lead to loss of consciousness, hypothermia, heart attacks, and other life-threatening conditions;

(2) risks involved in standing and moving about on frozen lakes and reservoirs and on snowy, icy, or irregular terrain;

(3) such other risks, hazards, and dangers that are inherent to the sport of cold plunging and being out of doors during winter.

I am voluntarily participating in the Event with full knowledge of the inherent risks, hazards, and dangers involved and hereby assume and accept any and all risks of injury, paralysis, or death, and agree to abide by all Chicago Polar Bear Club rules, regulations, and guidelines.

I, for myself, my heirs, successors, executors, and superiors, hereby knowingly and intentionally waive and release, indemnify, and hold harmless the Chicago Polar Bear Club or any of their officers, agents, affiliates, employees, contractors, sponsors, or volunteers, as well as the Chicago Park District, and members of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners, and the officers, agents, and employees of the Chicago Park District, individually and collectively, from and against any and all claims, actions, causes of action, liabilities, suits, expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) and negligence of any kind or nature, whether foreseen or unforeseen, arising directly or indirectly out of any damage, loss, injury, paralysis, or death to me or my property as a result of participation in the Event, whether such damage, loss, injury, paralysis, or death results from the negligence or other acts however caused by or contributed to by the Chicago Polar Bear Club and all related entities named above, or from some other cause. I, for myself, my heirs, my successors, executors, and superiors, further agree not to sue Chicago Polar Bear Club, their officers, agents, affiliates, employees, contractors, sponsors, or volunteers, as well as the Chicago Park District, and members of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners, and the officers, agents, and employees of the Chicago Park District, individually and collectively, as a result of any injury, paralysis or death suffered in connection with my participation in the Event. I attest that I am of the age of 18 years or older.

The Chicago Polar Bear Club reserves the right to remove me from the water, at any time, for any reasonable cause.

I have carefully read, clearly understand, and voluntarily agree to the terms of this waiver and release agreement.

If a participant is under 18 years of age, parent or guardian agrees to the following Indemnification:

In consideration for a minor being permitted to participate in the Event, I agree to the details of the waiver, release, and indemnification: As the parent and guardian of the participating minor, for himself/herself and on behalf of said minor, hereby joins in the foregoing waiver and release and hereby stipulates and agrees to save and hold harmless, indemnify, and forever defend the Chicago Polar Bear Club and any of their officers, agents, affiliates, employees, contractors, sponsors, or volunteers, from and against any and all claims, actions, demands, expenses liabilities (including reasonable attorney's fees) and negligence made or brought by said minor or by anyone on behalf of said minor, as a result of said minor's participation in the Event. I, for myself and on behalf of said minor, further agree not to sue the Chicago Polar Bear Club or any of their officers, agents, affiliates, employees, contractors, or volunteers, as a result of any injury, paralysis or death that said minor suffers in connection with participation in the Event.