Volunteers are the backbone of Women Swimmin' for Hospicare, and there are numerous opportunities to volunteer before and on the day of the event. This is a great way to get involved and show your support for the participants, Hospicare and the community at large. Even better, invite your friends and family members - this is a great way to spend a summer morning together!
Volunteer sign-ups will open the first Monday in June - 06/02.
Join us for our 22nd Annual Women Swimmin' for Hospicare! We’d love to have you volunteer at Cass Park or at the Ithaca Yacht Club on Saturday, August 9th. We rely on 200+ volunteers to ensure the safety of our 300+ swimmers. Please join us! On Swim Day, buses will transport swimmers from Cass Park to Bolton Point, where they will get in the water and swim across the lake to the Ithaca Yacht Club (IYC). The swim will conclude with a celebration of all our efforts at IYC!
All money raised by Women Swimmin’ goes directly toward patient services at Hospicare, including subsidies for patients without means to cover the cost of their care, and bereavement services for those in our community dealing with loss (regardless of if their loved one died on hospice services or not). Together, we make a difference in our community. Thank you for helping us out!
Volunteer Registration ~ Community Volunteer Positions!
Prep – At Hospicare on August 4 – 6 to prepare materials, assemble packets and distribute packets to swimmers and volunteers. It’s a great way to get involved with Women Swimmin’ for Hospicare if you can’t be there on swim day!
Packet Pick-Ups - Tuesday August 5th or Wednesday August 6th! See times below: All pick-ups are at the Hospicare residence at 172 E King Road, Ithaca. Participant packets are for swimmers, folks who are Going the Distance, and our fundraisers. Volunteers can also pick up their T-shirt and nametag at the packet pick-ups (if you are a returning volunteer we ask you to please use your shirt from previous years-if you need a new one please let us know).
Hours for Pick Ups:
Support Paddler Meeting – Thursday August 7th 5:30 - 8:30 pm at (Location TBD). Help get our support paddlers ready to go for Swim Day! Check them in and give them the information they need for a successful event
Ithaca Yacht Club Setup - Friday August 8th 5:00 - 7:00 pm, help setup Ithaca Yacht Club for the big day. Prepare the Swimmer's Changing Room, unload the truck with all the materials, move tables and chairs around and prepare items for a quick setup Saturday morning.
Swim Day Volunteer Spots
Saturday, August 9th, 2025
Cass Park on Swim Day – Various positions and time slots from 5:00am – 9:30am. Help our awesome swimmers as they start their day! Swimmers arrive at the Cass Park Rink and get checked in and sorted into their pods before boarding the buses that will take them to Bolton Point on the east side of the lake where they'll start their swim. Spectators and volunteers arrive at Union Fields (near the softball/baseball fields), park and catch the shuttle buses to the IYC.
Ithaca Yacht Club on Swim Day – Various positions and time slots from 4:45am-1:00pm. The Ithaca Yacht Club (IYC) is where the big excitement happens! Boaters and paddlers arrive and launch from the shore. Swimmers will come ashore from their swim across the lake here, to be greeted by friends and family. Everyone can enjoy breakfast, buy raffle tickets and merchandise, and listen to the band. Volunteers are encouraged to take the shuttle from Cass Park as there is limited parking at IYC.
Bolton Point on Swim Day - Various positions starting a 6:00 am and ending at 9:30 am. Move a very heavy dock into the water for the swimmers to walk out on. Direct the buses arriving from Cass Park, check in the swimmers and assist them into the water to begin the swim across the lake to Ithaca Yacht Club.