In the month of October, the Irish mental health organization, Helplink, puts on a daily swim challenge called Coldtober to raise money and awareness for mental health. Helplink’s mission is to provide accessible, low cost or free mental health services throughout Ireland and for Irish citizens living abroad. Coldtober is their big, yearly fundraiser. 

Last year, Angie was in Ireland for much of October and she participated in the challenge; swimming every day in some very cold water and sending pictures back to us in Berkeley. We were in awe that she did it every single day and it was in this amazement that the rumblings of my year-long challenge originated. That’s a pretty cool thing to do, I thought as the days of October 2021 progressed. By the time she was finished, her accomplishment gave me the confidence to imagine I could swim daily all year.

 She’s doing it again and this October, I joined her. Since I’m already swimming every day, it’s not a challenge for me in the same way, but it is a way for me to add an extra layer of meaning to this thing that I’m already doing. Here’s my official page if anyone is inclined to donate. It’s also a way for me to virtually join a community of folks who are also jumping into open water every day this month.