SOS Polar Bear Splash Highlights + Short Film Premiere

​In this Issue:  

• Polar Bear Splash Recap and Acknowledgements
  
• Second Chance Commemorative Tee Order
  
• Watch The Warbler and the Water Short Film

What an incredible turnout for New Year's Day!
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The 2026 SOS Polar Bear Splash was out of this world, and we were thrilled to see so many familiar faces (and MANY more new ones) in community at Barton Springs. An estimated 4,000 people moved through the park over the course of the morning, and participated in the community jump at 9:30am. That moment may go down as one of the greatest spectacles we have witnessed in recent springs' history. There was a shared charge in the air, the kind that makes a moment feel unforgettable. 

That’s always been the magic of this day. People from every background show up together, side by side, to start the year with courage and joy of the shared ritual of washing off the old year and welcoming the new. Multiple generations of family trudging in together, gaggles of friends, and plenty of solo dippers who show up brave and leave smiling. One of our favorite sights was a group of women who arrived dressed to the nines before taking the plunge.

A huge thank you to our hardworking volunteers that showed up for the mayhem on a national holiday! Thanks to Epoch and Barrett’s for donating more than 10 gallons of fresh coffee early that morning, powering up the thousands of sleepy-eyed people arriving for their New Year's tradition. This year, Flavor on Wheels food truck also rolled up with Korean-Mexican treats for the masses. We are so grateful for community partners who show up, literally before dawn, to make moments like this even better. Big thanks as well to Porkchop Screenprinting for printing our commemorative Polar Bear Splash shirts! 

Second Chance 2026 Polar Bear Tees
​If you missed out on the t-shirt, you weren’t alone. We ran out of adult sizes well before noon. Because so many folks asked, we are considering a small additional run. They are $30 each, 100% cotton long sleeve tee featuring a cool design by Comms Director Kate Csillagi. We will need at least 100 orders in the next week to make it happen. If you’d like one, please fill out the form linked below. 

Order 2026 Polar Bear Splash Tshirt

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Premiere of The Warbler and the Water
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We are excited to officially share The Warbler and the Water, a short film by Joey Chapman produced by Travis Audubon as a gift honoring SOS Executive Director Bill Bunch as the 2025 Victor Emanuel Conservation Hero. In eight minutes, the film follows Bill’s journey from a young competitive swimmer to one of Central Texas’s most enduring environmental leaders, and into the living conservation movement shaped by decades of care, resolve, and collective action, one that continues to protect our region today.
The film features water and wildlife champions who helped tell this inspiring story. With gratitude to the many contributors who helped bring it to life including Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea and renowned wildlife photographer Tim Jones. 

Watch the Warbler and the Water

Because of your support, we are fully energized to kick off the year strong. And we will need that energy. There are several critical fights ahead that require immediate attention, including the proposed MoPac South expansion over the Recharge Zone and a wave of massive water and energy guzzling data center developments targeting Central Texas.
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Thank you for starting the year with us in cool water, good company, and shared purpose. We’re grateful you’re here, and we’re ready for what’s ahead.

Onward Into 2026,

SOS Alliance