Heart-y cold water dippers wearing yellow brave the cold from York to Brooklin
Members of Harpswell Open Water Swimmers (HOWS) joined Mainers from Brooklin to York braving icy ocean water to bring warmth to survivors of domestic abuse for Finding Our Voices included JB Lanza. Katie Wright, Jenny Johns Bolton, Beck Deemer, Jen Nadeau, April Genung, Sarah Campbell, Karen Nazor, Laura Manley Aibel, Mikey Cioffredi, Lucia Nixon, and Tammy Davis Drake. (Photo by Lucia Nixon)
Members of Harpswell Open Water Swimmers (HOWS) joined Mainers from Brooklin to York braving icy ocean water to bring warmth to survivors of domestic abuse for Finding Our Voices included JB Lanza. Katie Wright, Jenny Johns Bolton, Beck Deemer, Jen Nadeau, April Genung, Sarah Campbell, Karen Nazor, Laura Manley Aibel, Mikey Cioffredi, Lucia Nixon, and Tammy Davis Drake. (Photo by Lucia Nixon)Harpswell residents plunged into the ocean on an unseasonably frigid February day wearing yellow-daisy sunglasses and hats festooned with yellow rubber duckies.
According to a Finding Our Voices news release, the 15 Harpswell Open Water Swimmers were joining hardy and heart-y souls from York to Brooklin raising money and awareness for Finding Our Voices, in the nonprofit's Third Annual Love Ourselves Cold-Water Dip on Feb. 9.
Other cold-water dipping groups participating in the fundraiser included Wicked Nippy Dippahs, Maine Sea Sisters and Seren-dip-ities in Midcoast Maine, Dip Down to Rise Up in York, Two Maine Mermaids in South Portland, and Blue Loons and Stone Cold Dippers gathering from Blue Hill and Stonington to dip on Deer Isle.
The action call of the annual event held on the Sunday before Valentine's Day is "get cold to bring warmth to domestic abuse survivors." Participants choose the time and place of their dip, and are encouraged to wear yellow, the signature color of Finding Our Voices. The grassroots nonprofit is devoted to supporting its sister survivors and their children, plus educating all about the public health emergency of domestic abuse.
Even with the event falling on an exceptionally cold and windy day, $3,500 was raised, with donations coming from as far away as California from friends and family of the dippers, according to Finding Our Voices CEO and founder Patrisha McLean, in the release.
Every penny of the money raised from the Love Ourselves dip funds critical items for Maine women to get safe from domestic abuse and help rebuild their lives including shelter, car repairs, gift cards for food and help with legal bills, said McLean.
Karen Nazor of the Harpswell swimming community said, "we decided with one voice to join the Finding Our Voices fundraiser, as several members had taken part in the event in previous years and all of us support and embrace the mission of their organization."
Finding Our Voices is the grassroots and survivor-powered nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse around Maine and providing critical resources for women survivors to escape and rebuild their lives, including Get Out Stay Out funding, donated dental care, and an online support group.For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net
