Fermata members celebrate progress of Aiken club with polar plunge

Carl Dawson, Aiken Standard, S.C.

Sat, January 3, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC

3 min read

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Jan. 2—AIKEN — Last year, Steve Arnold wore a three-piece suit when he jumped into the pool at the Fermata Club for their annual Polar Plunge.

This year, he wore a tuxedo.

"It's amazing what you can find at a thrift store," he said.

White-gloved left hand holding down his top hat and the other pinching his nose, he stepped off the diving board in his black cowboy boots. When he surfaced, top hat still on his head, his white scarf swirled around his neck on the surface of the pool.

Last year, plungers celebrated that their membership had voted to not sell their historic club to developers. This year, they celebrated the progress they've made toward refurbishing their gymnasium and returning it to service as a space for use by the community.

"We've had an incredible year, with a huge groundswell of support from members who have come together to apply for grants and do some meaningful fundraising," said Claire Cunningham, club president.

"The gymnasium is such an important building for the community, and we're excited and honored to be able to bring it back into rentable condition and for use by club members as well," she said.

"So many community events have happened there over the last almost hundred years," Cunningham said.

The swimming, tennis and social club at 841 Whiskey Road is located on the site of the Fermata School for Girls, founded in 1919 by pianist Josef Hofmann and his wife, Marie Eustis Hofmann, for the education of young women from Aiken's Winter Colony.

A fire destroyed the school in 1944 but not Fermata Hall, a wooden gymnasium built in 1929 by the contractors McGhee & McGhee.

In 1952, when construction of the Savannah River Plant was underway and Aiken became the home of thousands of Dupont Corporation employees, 16 families leased and later purchased the five-acre property and founded the club.

In addition to the Fermata Hurricanes swim team, public and private high school swim teams use the pool for practices and competitions, including Mead Hall, Aiken High, South Aiken High, Midland Valley High and South Aiken Baptist Christian School.

Club members have formed The Fermata Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the historical and architectural preservation of the gymnasium. Contributions will pay for painting, hardscaping and landscaping. Long term plans include replacing the roof and upgrading the HVAC and electrical systems.

In October 2024, the club was awarded a $46,875.50 planning grant from the 2025 Historic Preservation State Grant Fund. That allowed the club to hire an architect and historical preservationist to develop plans they can use to apply for a stabilization grant to preserve the exterior and winterize it.

Members are deciding whether to accept the stabilization grant, Cunningham said.

She said the club has raised $40,000 for refurbishing the gymnasium. Foundation repairs and exterior painting were completed in 2025.

"It's been wonderful seeing members wanting to support the club and support the community," Cunningham said. "We're looking forward to doing more of it in 2026."

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