BATH – Until he began working in the Bath area, Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard had never heard of the central-Steuben youth group fundraiser Tyrtle Beach. "Really, never heard of it," Allard said. "I was like, ‘Where have I been?’" Well, on April 28, Allard will be taking the plunge from Tyrtle Beach into Lake Salubria, and hoping to break records at the 26th annual Tyrtle Beach fundraiser. Allard was named Monday night at the event’s kickoff, which sparks several weeks of fundraising pledges and events, including Team Trivia Night April 20 at the Bath Country Club. The fundraiser, which began as an on-air joke and launched by WVIN/WABH radio personality Dave Taylor Smith, has raised a total of more than $620,000 for dozens of youth programs in central Steuben. Since then county notables, including Steuben officials, school personnel and, yes, Bath Village Police Chief Chad Mullen, have participated. Last year, "Ninja Tyrtle" Matt Hill, a coach and high school teacher at Haverling High School raised a record $45,000. This year, organizers have set the bar for Allard at $50,000. Asked if he had any advice for Allard, Taylor Smith paused, and laughed. And almost shivered. "Oh, I don’t know," he said. "We’ll see. We’ll see." For more information, call WVIN/WABH (607) 776-3326 or Steuben County Youth Bureau Programs Coordinator Bill Caudill, (607) 664-2119.
April 4, 2017 water temperature at Lake Salubria: 43!
