In the six years that Hill has been in the Jump Off, she has single-handedly raised more than $18,000. In 2005, Hill was the Jump Off’s top fund-raiser, collecting $5,918.

“I want to hit $25,000 to $30,000 before I quit,” she said, adding, “I don’t even think about quitting.”

A week ago, she had raised more than $4,000 for this year’s plunge into the bay. Her two biggest donations came from Lloyd Moore of Quick Draw H2O Services and the Sons of the American Legion Squad 16 in Homer.

“This is a good cause and Christie takes this thing all the way,” said Moore, who put $300 into the hat Hill passes to everyone she knows. “She’s a very giving, caring person. She never comes to work with a bad attitude and is great to have around. … She makes everybody’s day brighter and better.”

During the summer, Hill drives a water truck, tows trailers and hauls asphalt for Moore’s business, but she draws the line at driving during winter months.

“She’ll go jump in that cold water, but she doesn’t like to be out in the cold and drive in this stuff,” Moore said, laughing.

Chip Duggan, with Sons of the American Legion Squad 16, said that organization’s finances only permitted a small donation to Hill in 2005, but this year they gave her a $500 boost.

“She’s really worked hard at this,” Duggan said. “No one else had asked for money and we had a bunch from pull tabs, so that’s what we decided to do.”

Water temperatures in Seward’s boat harbor may not be cold enough to form icebergs, but the ambient temperature frequently creates ice on the harbor’s floats. In 2004, a brisk wind drove the wind chill down to a teeth-chattering minus 25. Jumpers are protected from the weather’s ravages by a variety of costumes. Hill has braved the weather and water dressed as Strawberry Shortcake, SpongeBob SquarePants, a cigarette “butt-head” and other equally creative ideas. This year she has enlisted Linda Skelton to create a Grinch costume.

“She comes to me when she needs some help,” said a laughing Skelton, who is piecing together different fabric to create the outfit.

The first Jump Off happened in 1986. The following year, Marilyn Sutherland of Seward was one of the jumpers. The year after that Sutherland began organizing the event and has been at it ever since. The jump is the main part of Seward’s weekend Polar Bear Jump Off Festival, sponsored by the Polar Bear Festival Association that became incorporated as a charitable nonprofit in 1991. Events begin on Friday and continue through Sunday evening, with the jump scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The jump has raised a total of $994,000 and in this, its 21st year, the goal is to push past $1 million. There is a limit of 100 jumpers and each one must raise a minimum of $750.

“They have no trouble raising that,” Sutherland said.

Money from the jump goes to the American Cancer Society. Money raised by other weekend events, such as Friday’s bachelor and bachelorette auction, goes directly to families of children with cancer on the peninsula through a grant program.

“We have paid out about $45,000,” Sutherland said. That includes grants given to four or five in the Homer area.

“I’m helping my friends with cancer. This really does help,” said Hill, recognizing that part of the festival’s attraction is the crowd’s interest in seeing jumpers submerge themselves in Resurrection Bay’s icy depths.

Of the support from her hometown, she said, “It’s just awesome how this community is helping me out. Even with everything else going on, they’re still helping me.”

For more information on the festival, visit the Seward Chamber of Commerce Web site at www. sewardak.org/. Hill can be contacted at 299-1966.