2026 Women Swimmin' & Go the Distance for Hospicare supporting Hospicare & Palliative Care Services
2026 Women Swimmin' & Go the Distance for Hospicare
2026 Women Swimmin' & Go the Distance for Hospicare supporting Hospicare & Palliative Care Services
About 2026 Women Swimmin' for Hospicare
This spring and summer, join hundreds of community members by taking part in a heart-fillin', community buildin' annual fundraising event called Women Swimmin' and Go the Distance for Hospicare!
How It Works
On Saturday, August 8, 330 valiant Women Swimmin' women, ages 18 to 88, will swim 1.2 miles across the lake to raise money for compassionate end-of-life care and home-based comforting palliative care or to honor the memory of a loved one or just check an item off their bucket list.
Joining the effort are 50 or more "Go the Distance" fundraisers of any gender, age, or swimming ability who set an activity (baking cookies every week, walking two miles a day, swimming pool laps, etc.), to fundraise around.
All that activity and fundraising culminates on August 8th, from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm, at Myers Park, where Swimmers, Go the Distancers, Paddlers, Boaters, Volunteers and community members gather to witness the women swimmers cross Cayuga Lake from Camp Comstock, supported by 200+ paddlers, boaters, and volunteers. (Swimmers park their cars or get dropped off at Cass park and are bused to Comstock. All other park at Myers.)
Then, a celebration, breakfast buffet, and closing ceremonies at Myers Park!
Participation Options
- Swim across the lake
- Be a Go the Distance fundraiser
- Support paddle or boater
- Volunteer to help run the event
- DONATE - Support a swimmer or Go the Distance fundraiser's campaign for Hospicare by making a donation
AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Teams vs. Pods
Over the years there has been some confusion between 'Teams' and 'Pods'. To keep it simple:
- Teams are fundraising teams and have nothing to do with who you are assigned to swim (or paddle) with. People create teams to honor a loved one, fundraise with coworkers, fundraise with friends, etc... (The top fundraising team(s) receive prizes). Teams can include anyone who is fundraising as a part of Women Swimmin' & Go the Distance for Hospicare (swimmers, Go the Distancers, paddlers, and boaters!)
- Pods are who you swim (or paddle with). While we try to keep people in the same team together in the same pod, this cannot be guaranteed. In late June swimmers will recieve a 'pod request' email - this is where you would identify who you want to swim with (paddlers are given the opportunity to indicate swimmers they'd like to paddle for during registration). This year's pod request opens 06/12/2026 and closes Tuesday 07/14/2026.
Date
Starts at: August 8, 2026 5:00 AM
Ends at: August 8, 2026 11:00 AM
Location
Myers Park
1 Lansing Park Rd
Lansing,NY 14882 USA
Contact
Dana M. Havas, Community Events & Development Associate
607-272-0212
womenswimmin@hospicare.org
How Your Support Makes a Difference
What do donations make possible?
Thanks to the generosity of our corporate sponsors who cover event expenses, 100% of funds raised are used to help care for patients and support their loved ones.
Isn't hospice covered by Medicare and Medicaid?
About 83% of Hospicare’s services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances. Funds raised bridge the gap and ensure that everyone in our community has access to high-quality and compassionate end-of-life care, regardless of insurance status or the ability to pay.
What Is Hospicare?
Hospicare & Palliative Care Services is a 501c(3) non-profit hospice that serves Cortland and Tompkins counties in NY. We provide medical expertise and compassionate, respectful care to anyone in our community who is facing a life-limiting illness, and we support their loved ones through the illness and their grief.
For more information, please visit our website:
Join us as a 2026 Women Swimmin' & Go the Distance for Hospicare Corporate Sponsor!
contact womenswimmin@hospicare.org for more information or click here to sign-up to sponsor online!