Finding Our Voices annual fundraiser brings together heart-y yellow-wearing dippers from York to Brooklin
Harpswell residents plunged into the ocean on an unseasonably frigid February day wearing yellow-daisy sunglasses and hats festooned with yellow rubber duckies.
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 non-profit’s third annual “Love Ourselves” Cold-Water Dip on Feb. 9.
Other cold-water dipping groups participating in the fundraiser included Dip Down to Rise Up in York, Two Maine Mermaids in South Portland, Wicked Nippy Dippahs, Maine Sea Sisters and Seren-dip-ities in Midcoast Maine, and Blue Loons and Stone Cold Dippers joining 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.
According to Finding Our Voices CEO+Founder Patrisha McLean the Love Ourselves dip raised $3,500, with donations coming from as far away as California through friends and family supporting Maine participants. McLean said every penny of the money raised from this event funds critical items for 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.
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
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