Meet Kevin Burn

Aka "Captain Polar Dip"

He describes himself as the “son of a preacher man“ but Kevin Burn is known by many other names.

Some of you may recognize Kevin Burn as physiotherapist at Northumberland Hills Hospital. Others may know him from his extensive involvement as a volunteer leader or a fundraiser in support of many community organizations such as Trinity United Church or Northumberland United Way. But perhaps Kevin is best known to the community as… Captain Polar Dip.

Since the Polar Dip was first introduced as a fundraiser in support of the NHH Auxiliary, Kevin has brought awareness and fun to this annual event. He simply slips into his costume, gets the crowd fired up and then he slips into the shivering cold waters of Lake Ontario in February! “I ask people if they want to join me for the dip and they’re quick to say no, but I’ll make a donation instead,” Kevin shares. It works. He raises a lot of money for his efforts.

Kevin has an unwavering commitment to making our community and world a better place. He’s one of those people who just consistently does good things yet can quite easily fly below the radar. For example, two mornings each week, Kevin – along with his dog Bear – makes the trip to the hospital to fill the bird feeders placed around the hospital property. What started out as one bird feeder in the Palliative garden has now grown to twenty-two (22) feeders. Each week, 34-40 kilograms of bird feed is consumed at an annual cost of close to $1,000, but Kevin pays for this personally.

Born in Bancroft, Kevin moved around the province and called many different communities home. This is just how things are when your father is a United Church minister. When asked what brought him to Cobourg, Kevin is quick to say it was his wife Janet – “she’s a MacCoubrey.” They settled in 1990 and have been busy raising their three sons.

In spite of a busy household, Kevin always finds time to give back. This includes going to Burnham Public School each week to read to the young students. “My parents set the example,” he says. “You can’t see their self-sacrifice and not have it rub off on you. They led the way for me and I’m just continuing what I’ve been taught. Another significant influence in my life are my in-laws, Bob and Sandra MacCoubrey. They also taught me the importance of sharing my time and resources with others.”

We’re proud to call you one of our own Kevin. Thank you for all that you do for our patients and community. You truly do set the example.

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