It was a cool start to the day as dozens of people made the mad dash into the waves of Omanu Beach in memory of two youngsters who lost a battle with cancer.

An estimated 150-200 people took the Polar Plunge Challenge at 8am to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation.

College students make the run into the waters at Omanu Beach this morning. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

Tauranga Girls' College jesters and Mount Maunganui College students psyching themselves up for the plunge. Photo Bruce Barnard.

The annual event is in memory of Mount Maunganui student Jed Roberts who died of Leukaemia four years ago.

And this year the event was extra special as the community also remembered 11-year-old Harrison Mundy, who lost his battle to cancer in February this year.

Organised by Mount Maunganui College sports leaders Daniel Edwards, Nate Moore and Georgia Stewart, with the help of teachers Terry Cochrane and Naomi Bates, each person taking the plunge donates $3 towards the charities.

The funds are further enhanced by the school's planned mufti day today, and an earlier head shave. The funds are yet to be collated, but teacher Terry Cochrane says the students were aiming for about $3000.

Terry was one of many to take the early morning dip and says it was surprisingly warmer than last year.

'It was a lot warmer than last year. You could almost swim in it. The children stayed out there, even though we try to keep them only for three to five minutes.”

In an uncanny coincidence this morning, orange balloons worn by student Chelsea Maejohns floated off towards Papamoa, the same as they had when friends and family gathered to farewell Harrison with a balloon release earlier this year.

'She was basically all in balloons, about 25, all around her. It was interesting a lot of the orange balloons came off and floated down towards Papamoa and that is exactly what happened when Harrison passed away, when they released a lot of balloons they floated off down the coastline.”

Families of both Jed and Harrison's families were on the beachfront in support. Alan Mundy, Harrison's father, is also a teacher at Mount Maunganui College.

'We approached Jed's family to ask if this year it was okay if it could also be about Harrison, and of course they were all for it, they said definitely."

For student Nate Moore, who was taking the plunge for the fourth year in a row today, the event is now about recognising youngsters who have died of cancer.

'You see the families going through the grief of losing someone and this is just one way we can do something to give back, and remember students.”

To donate to the Leukaemia Foundation click here.

Chelsea Johns was going to float no matter what.Photo Bruce Barnard.