Creating Meaning through the Women Swimmin’ Experience

Creating Meaning through the Women Swimmin’ Experience  

A virtual workshop for all participants with Maura Cody, Laura Ward and Sara Worden!

June 24, 6:30-8pm 

Free and open to anyone in the Women Swimmin’ community. Registration required.  

Maura Cody spent her early childhood in Brooktondale and Ithaca, and has remained connected to the community even during her years away from the area through lifelong friendships and regular visits. Since moving back to Ithaca in 2017, Maura has been grateful to have had the opportunity to honor the memory of her mom, Mary Day, by participating in Women Swimmin’ with the FLAIR team. Her connection to beautiful Cayuga Lake was deepened this winter, when Maura joined a group of intrepid and adventurous spirits (inspired and encouraged by the lovely Laura Ward and Sara Worden of Hospicare) who swam regularly throughout the winter and spring in Cayuga’s chilly waters. Maura loves to reflect with community through rituals of swimming, connecting to memory and movement alongside and through grief. 

Laura Ward, LMFT, CT is the Manager of Psychosocial Services at Hospicare and has been a bereavement counselor since 2014. Previously, Laura worked as a crisis clinician and counselor at various non-profit counseling agencies and taught developmental psychology courses as an adjunct at TC3. In addition, Laura spent 10 years working in the area of mediation and collaborative law as a child specialist, divorce mediator and coach. During this time, Laura presented on both regionally and nationally on topics related to supporting LGBTQAI individuals and families through the process of separation, divorce and co-parenting. Laura has participated many times in Women Swimmin’ several times since the birth of her triplets in 2007. Laura values the community that she has formed around the swim and a group of her friends formed a team, the Natadoras.  

Sara Worden, RYT is the Assistant Director of Community Engagement at Hospicare & Palliative Care Services. Sara is passionate about Women Swimmin’ and the interrelationship between Cayuga Lake and the Hospicare community. Sara loves swimming, sailing, and paddleboarding and is committed to the ritual of going in the lake every month of the year. Last year, Sara went the distance for Hospicare by doing yoga every day in honor of one of her first yoga teachers who died during the pandemic. Before coming to Hospicare, Sara worked as an advocate for local organic agriculture and ran her own yoga and wellness business. 

Whether you are one of our swimmin’ women or community member Going the Distance for Hospicare, we welcome you to join us for a very special virtual workshop. Many of our participants have personal stories and are raising funds for Hospicare in memory of a loved one. Participating in the event may bring up grief or hard feelings, but it can also bring healing and provide an opportunity to connect with your loved one. And it connects you to the Hospicare and others in the community who are Going the Distance or Swimming for Hospicare.