Hello friends and family,

I am hoping this finds you well on this very hot day in the Northeast. 

My Mom, Barb Daniel, passed away last summer from cancer. I was so grateful to be able to be with her (a miracle that her passing lined up exactly with the vacation break I had scheduled months before) and we were able to fulfill her wish to die peacefully at home due to the support my siblings and I received from hospicare in her town in Michigan.

Many of you know , especially Ithacans, about Women Swimmin, a yearly fundraiser for our local Hospicare and Palliative Care Services of Ithaca. Basically, for at least the last 20 years, women swim the 1.2 miles across Cayuga Lake in August of every year to raise the bulk of the annual money needed to fund our local Hospice. Our Hospice here is very very important to our community. They offer an onsite facility for folks plus in home support and education. They are desperately needing this funding to continue their mission and what a worthy cause it is!!!

For the first time I am taking the plunge to swim the mile plus of Cayuga Lake to fundraise. Please give as much as you are comfortable donating to this worthy cause. It will be appreciated. Hospicare's goal is to raise more than a half a million dollars. I have always loved swimming my whole life and have started getting in shape for this swim, taking an amazing course offered by a master swimmer/triathlete to learn how to relax and move through the water with less effort. I have generally found trying to swim for exercise to be difficult and boring but am really learning and enjoying this process. Its a long swim for me and as I embark on my much needed time off call and into nature Im going to try to swim every day wherever I am...the adventure is not fully planned which is often my way :)

Thanks again for your consideration in donating to Hospice and supporting me in my swim August 10.

Thanks,

With much gratitude and love,

Monica