Knox County groups among participants of cold-water dips for domestic violence awareness

The Finding Our Voices dipping event graphic is a painting by Liz Cutler of MDI’s Cold Tits Warm Hearts, from a photograph by Gin Majka of Wicked Nippy Dippahs out of Midcoast Maine. (Photo courtesy Patrisha McLean)

Article republished from PenBayPilot

From left to right, Patrisha McLean of Finding Our Voices with Sierra and Finn/Alana of Cold Water Queers. (Photo by Patrisha McLean)

Fri, 01/19/2024

Maine dipping groups will get cold to bring light to domestic abuse survivors in a Sunday, February 11 fundraising event for Finding Our Voices. The dips will take place in waterways all across Maine and throughout the day, with participating groups choosing their own place as well as time. Details can be found on the Finding Our Voices website at https://findingourvoices.net/cold-water-dip. 

Patrisha McLean, CEO and founder of the grassroots and survivor-powered nonprofit, likes how cold-water dipping is like escaping domestic violence in that "it takes courage, is best not done alone, and feels really good to be out," according to FOV, in a news release. 

Already signed up to wear yellow and dip for Finding Our Voices on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day are groups including Saltwater Mountain Company in York, Two Maine Mermaids and Cold Water Queers joining forces in South Portland, Wicked Nippy Dippahs in Rockport, Salty Sisters in Vinalhaven, Cold Tits Warm Hearts on Mount Desert Island, and Snow Moon Selkies in Brooklin. WanderWomen Tours is hosting a lake dip in Union for their Maine alumni that includes time in a Finnish sauna.  

Dipping groups are welcome to join the event by contacting Finding Our Voices at hello@findingourvoices or through their website https://findingourvoices.net. 

“The main thing is not to do it alone because that is not safe, and also a big part of the experience, as Alison Thibault of Vinalhaven’s Salty Sisters says, is ‘hanging out with some amazing women,’” said McLean. “You can stay dry and still join in by taking photos, holding open a towel, or bringing hot drinks and snacks. I love how Cold Water Queers calls these folks the ‘Land Sharks.’"

Participating dipping groups are encouraged to design their own fundraising campaigns for Finding Our Voices, with proceeds going to the its Get Out Stay Out fund. According to McLean, in 2023 this fund disbursed $88,000 to 168 Maine women domestic abuse survivors for shelter, car, legal, home security, and food costs to get safe and keep their children safe as well.

Participants of the February 11 event are encouraged to wear yellow at the dip and post a photo or video to social media using the hashtag #ColdWaterDipFOV. According to McLean, yellow is the color of Finding Our Voices because “we are survivors who have managed to cross over to the bright side of freedom and we are shining a light for our sisters who are still trapped.”

Amy Hopkins, owner of Saltwater Mountain Co. and a self-described “ambassador for self-care, re-inventor of self, and avid chill-seeker” chose 10 a.m. at York Harbor Beach for her group’s February 11 dip.

“Our purpose,” she said, "is steeped in showing up, dipping down, and rising up with and for all women,” said Hopkins. “We believe finding our voices both literally and figuratively is one of the cold water’s most precious and sacred gifts.”  

Finn/Alana is the founder of Cold Water Queers and Sierra is the social media and communications manager. Their group is joining Two Maine Mermaids for their Finding Our Voices dip, 11 a.m. at Willard Beach in South Portland.

“Our partnership with Finding Our Voices,” they said, “provides a space for us to come together to heal in nature, to amplify our mission of fostering queer joy and community, and to expand Finding Our Voices’ mission to bring awareness to abuse in any relationship regardless of orientation, identity, or relationship style.”

McLean said: "I have been bowled over by the enthusiasm of leaders of dipping groups around the state for our event, and also their creativity in how they are bringing in the yellow. Amy Hopkins just shared a yellow rose headband that members of her group are planning to wear. We are also getting supportive messages from survivors of domestic abuse. ‘February,’ one woman just wrote me, 'will mark the one-year anniversary of surviving domestic assault. This dip is sort of a big deal for me. Thank you for organizing it.’"