The waters of Bear Creek are cold and deep, but not too deep for a few brave hearts up Robbins way.

Today (Sunday), somebody will jump into its chilly waters.

The idea is to raise money for outdoor recreational opportunities for young people through a nonprofit called Foothills Outdoors.

Contributions can be dropped in jars on a table at Deep River Coffee Co. Whichever jar raises the most cash obligates its sponsor to take the leap. If as much as $500 accumulates in the kitty, everybody on the table has to jump.

They call it the "Brrrrrrrrrrrrrh Creek Plunge." Randall Moore, Mark Garner, William McDuffie, Joey Boswell and Phillip Martindale are the intrepid volunteers dreading the success of their fundraising.

Splashing starts at 3:15 p.m., and a pot luck supper will follow at Middleton Mercantile.

That party is a going-away (but not too far away) thank-you celebration for Town Manager Brant Sikes, whose official last day on the job was Friday. Because of vacation time, he has been out of the office and on his farm for the last week.

Sikes begins a new job with the county Monday but promises that he will be keeping his eye on Robbins to help any way he can.

The town converted its charter from mayor-council to manager-council form of government and hired Sikes as the first town manager. He had been working as a water operator for the town.

Members of the Town Board have been unanimous and lavish in their praise of Sikes for the way he has piloted Robbins through difficult financial turbulence.

Tommy Combs is already on board as an interim manager. He is a retired town manager of Clinton.

"I was in Clinton for 20 years, Elizabeth City for 10 years," he said. "Before that, I was manager in the little town of Mebane for a couple of years."

Combs has also worked as a planner in Guilford and Alamance County.

"Since I retired in 2002, I've served as interim for two different towns," he said. "I went back to Elizabeth City for seven months and helped them find a manager, then to Warsaw in 2005. I went to Atlantic Beach in 2007 for four months until they found a manager. The next one I did was Swansboro. I finished there last year."

Usually Combs said he gets a call from the League of Municip-alities, as he did in this case.

"Robbins has some unique things I can help them on," Combs said. "I will assist them in finding a manager and evaluating applicants. If I see anything that needs to be done, I may recommend it.

"My job in the meantime is to keep things on track and be sure the board is informed and the town operates efficiently and provides the services that it is supposed to."

One benefit Combs has found are the many new friends he has made, from employees to elected town officials and townspeople across the state.

"I can always go back and visit them," he said "There are a few challenges. Basically what I am doing right now is reviewing what has been going on."

Combs said he loves golf and goes home to Clinton on weekends to play, making him one of those rare men who actually leave Moore County to play golf.

Contact John Chappell at 783-5841 or by e-mail at jchappell@thepilot.com.