In The Company of Women
Sunday, August 10 - Saturday, August 16, 2025
Sunday, August 10 - Saturday, August 16, 2025
Description
Workshops & Daily Schedule
Conference Leadership
Pricing
Description
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Come relax, refresh and renew, … In the Company of Women, where you can bring your full authentic self to be welcomed and appreciated by caring, curious, creative, supportive and friendly companions in a safe and loving environment. We engage in meaningful, fun, and challenging experiences to discover more about ourselves, embracing each other in a friendly community of belonging; and appreciating each other for who we are deep down, beyond the many roles we tend to take on as women. Learn something new, rediscover joy, or safely share your grief, – embraced by a caring community. However you identify your sexual orientation (Gay, Bi, Lesbian, or Straight…), no matter whom you love, you are welcome here.
You can look forward to activities such as: drumming, dancing, nature walks, yoga, sharing our stories/building connections to our deeper selves and others, leisure time, reveling in sunny beach time, guest speakers and concerts, music, singing, writing workshops, and the time honored summer camp tradition of arts & crafts! Come explore and/or just BE. The ocean waves, the intimate talks, the smiles and laughter; Ahhhh! You deserve this! Magic has been known to happen during “Women’s Week” as we truly express ourselves; and reclaim that Vital Spirit of Empowerment. Oh yes; as one participant said, “it’s like Soul Camp for the Feminine Heart!” Note: We believe that no woman should be excluded due to lack of funds, so we have set up partial scholarships. There is also the possibility of a shortened stay or commuting for a day or more. In other words, a “no excuses” policy… because you’re worth it! To apply for a scholarship, please fill out the form here, by 7/1/25. |
“I’m a woman
Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.” ~ Maya Angelou In the Company of Women Newsletter
September 2023 Newsletter
August 2023 Newsletter
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Workshops & Daily Schedule
2025 Daily Schedule Coming Soon....
Interested in an overview of what a week "In the Company of Women" looks like? Here's a look at last year's schedule.
Interested in an overview of what a week "In the Company of Women" looks like? Here's a look at last year's schedule.
2025 Workshops
2025 Theme: Brilliance
There will be ample free time for beach walks, reading, soaking up rays, spending time with friends, exploring
the nearby state park, napping, or whatever you wish.
There will be ample free time for beach walks, reading, soaking up rays, spending time with friends, exploring
the nearby state park, napping, or whatever you wish.
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Welcome Ritual Gathering: Laurie Benoit and Sylvia (Sly) Racca
Conference coordinators will officially welcome you and share important logistical information to help guide you through the week. We will introduce ourselves to one another and will hear from workshop presenters about their offerings. Then we will break into small groups and have fun getting to know one another. This is your time to ask questions and enjoy the company of the women in this beautiful space. |
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Newcomers Welcome: Sylvia (Sly) Racca
The Newcomer's Welcome provides first-year attendees with the opportunity to get to know one another and to meet a handful of long-time attendees who can answer your questions and help you navigate the week. Sylvia Racca (nickname "Sly" - feel free to use either or both!) lives in the woods of Orange, NH, with her dog Spot. This is her third time attending ITCoW. Professionally, Sly has been a leader in higher education fundraising for 30 years at Scripps, Smith, and Dartmouth Colleges. In her free time, Sylvia likes to read, cook, and hike with Spot. |
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Meaningful Writing: Sharon Smith Raska
In a world filled with uncertainty and turmoil, this year Sharon will help everyone process feelings of anxiety, depression, grief, and loss through a writing exercise. Although these words can trigger strong emotions, participants will find the writing to be valuable and meaningful, and may even feel better afterward. It will be interesting to see how the group feels and what comes out of this meaningful writing experience. Sharon is a lifelong reader who taught English for many decades and who loves sharing ideas about life and our own experiences, and she hopes to spend a few hours doing just that again with the women of Women’s Week at Ferry Beach. |
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Trivia Night: Judy Tator
Our beloved Emcee Judy Tator says, “As much as you probably want to study and memorize this year’s Almanac and the latest encyclopedia, it probably won’t help. Your memories are all we ask of you and a willingness to have fun.” This is a very popular and fun event! |
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She Mail Bags: Monday and ongoing through the week: Deb Wilson
On the bulletin board in Dolphin, our home base for the week, those who want can add a personalized, small paper bag that acts as their individual “mail” holder for the week. Signed or anonymously, women can leave notes, little treasures of nature, treats, tokens, etc. for our sister campers to know they are being held in mind and heart. We’ll provide the bags and markers, stickers, and bling to personalize bags and name tags 😊. As with everything about our week together, this is voluntary! Deb Wilson is a retired K-12 art educator. She creates art using various media in her "Sunrise Studio" and enjoys countless hours in her perennial gardens. |
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Transformative Shamanic Journey: Jody Breton
Jody Breton brings to her Shamanic Healing & teaching practice 30-plus years of study in ancient healing and spiritual pathways. In the earliest years of her practice, Jody began her journey into Shamanism when she met and studied with her first teacher and mentor in 1990's. To this day she continues to participate in the ceremonies and lifeways of her teachings. Join Jody for a guided Transformative Shamanic Journey with an Integration Practice. |
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Journey Dance: Sherry Lundquist
Sherry's Journey Dance is a 90-minute exploration of gentle movement, play, joy, connection, and, of course, the always popular dancing with scarves. We will tell our stories using our bodies and breath. (There will be a time for integration and processing so we will not be dancing for 90 minutes!) All are welcome to join in, even if you don't think you are a "dancer". There are no steps to learn and no wrong way to do it. All you need is an open heart and a willingness to explore moving in a loving circle of sisters. Chairs will be available and there will be no judgment, only love. Come join us on the dance floor! See you there. |
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Book Chat: Sharon Smith-Raska
Join us for the ever-popular conversation as avid readers and book lovers talk about their favorites and share their recommendations. Sharon is a lifelong reader and has taught English for many decades and loves sharing ideas about life and our own experiences and hopes to spend a few hours doing just that with the women of Ferry Beach this year. |
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Dance Party: Sherry Lundquist
Sherry has been a part of In the Company of Women for the past 17 years. She has laughed, cried, created, sung, danced, and grown with “y'all” - her circle of sisters. |
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Wise Women’s Circle: Daily ~ Christine Krom
Wise Women’s Circle happens every afternoon at 4 p.m. on the Gardiner lawn. In the Circle, we listen and support each other in a small group, and we talk about how the day, the week, or life in general is going for each of us. It’s all confidential, and each woman who wants to can speak uninterrupted. Christine has been coming to Ferry Beach since she attended the Women’s Pagan Circle in 1994. She had only just begun attending the UU Church of Marblehead, MA, and had discovered Ferry Beach on a church weekend the previous October. She still has friends that she met in that circle, including the very special Maude Hart. She calls Ferry Beach her spiritual home. |
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The Circle: Songs for the Heart and Soul: Daily Kristin Leary
Continuing in the spirit of last year's 'Sing Our Souls' with Li Kynvi, 'The Circle' is an opportunity to join in contemplative group singing. We'll have simple songs to choose from, and a leader to teach them line-by-line as needed. All are welcome to be part of this meditative practice. Kristin has been singing almost weekly with Li Kynvi and Sing Our Souls in Groton, MA, for about two years and hopes to bring some of that magic back to Ferry Beach this summer. She sings at First Parish Church of Groton and North Parish in North Andover. |
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“Crone Counsel” - What Does It Mean to be a Woman of Wisdom: ~ Jody McCassey and Pamela Cruze
At ItCow 2024, many women participated in a Croning Ceremony, celebrating their willingness to see themselves as women of wisdom. This year, all Crones are invited to gather in Crone Counsel, where our experience will continue through ritual, conversation, and deep listening. Jody McAssey and Pamela (aka Pamazon) Cruze are Ritualists who enjoy making transitions of the soul visible through living ceremonies. Crones themselves, they have decades of shared experience creating spiritual ceremony celebrating the divine feminine, of which we are all a part. |
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Our Connection to Greek Goddesses - A Discussion of Demeter & Persephone: Helen Cymbala
Stories of creation and the mystery of the seasons are as old as humanity itself! Throughout the ages, our interpretation of these stories has changed as cultures and communities have evolved. Today, how do we perceive these Goddesses - these timeless personifications of the natural forces? The sacred bonds of mother, daughter, aunt, and their relationship to the other parts of our lives? Later, we’ll develop a skit based on the classical Greek Mystery Plays, with modern twists. All are welcome to participate in the traditional “Greek Chorus”! Helen has been practicing Earth-Centered religion for over 50 years. She has been ordained by both the Society of Elder Faiths and the Covenant of the Goddess. She often speaks at UU churches and leads public rituals and classes. She enjoys lifelong loves of history, comparative religion, and early music. |
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Messy Journal Pages: Misch Beck
Misch Beck will lead you through her process of creating daily Messy Journal Pages. The first layer is Stream of Consciousness writing that fills the page and then covering that with a layer of white paint. Next maybe some torn collage pieces or pieces of text. Then finding a couple pictures that speak to you in the moment, and then letting the words that are most important float to the surface. Misch facilitates healing art groups incorporating visual art, journaling, movement and dance to promote creativity and well-being for a healthier life. She lives in VT with her puppy, Shen. They love to take long walks and do messy collages together (Shen uses all the floors in the house as his canvas!) |
Healing Sea AA: Daily ~ Screen House
Friendship Circle: Daily ~ Beau Rivers, Minister
Silly Game Night: Sharon Smith Raska
Talent / No Talent Night: We will share the stage again this year with our friends from the Circle of Music. Helen Cymbala will organize a humorous skit on Greek Goddesses. We hope you will volunteer to participate.
Name Tag Decorating: Sunday at Registration and ongoing
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Please contact Co-Coordinators Laurie Benoit or Sly Racca if you have questions:
Laurie: Email, [email protected], (413) 658-5419 – cell/text or (413) 625-8668- landline
Sly: Email, [email protected], (603) 359-7800 cell/text or (603) 523-4816- landline
Friendship Circle: Daily ~ Beau Rivers, Minister
Silly Game Night: Sharon Smith Raska
Talent / No Talent Night: We will share the stage again this year with our friends from the Circle of Music. Helen Cymbala will organize a humorous skit on Greek Goddesses. We hope you will volunteer to participate.
Name Tag Decorating: Sunday at Registration and ongoing
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Please contact Co-Coordinators Laurie Benoit or Sly Racca if you have questions:
Laurie: Email, [email protected], (413) 658-5419 – cell/text or (413) 625-8668- landline
Sly: Email, [email protected], (603) 359-7800 cell/text or (603) 523-4816- landline
Conference Leadership
Coordinators:
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Laurie Benoit (she/her)
I am retired and live with my husband, Barry, in Western Massachusetts. I hold a BS in Non-Profit Management from UMass Amherst and have spent my entire career in higher education as a management and fundraising professional. My loves are gardening (I’m a Master Gardener), traveling, hiking, kayaking, volunteering, and most importantly, spending time with family and friends. Making a difference in my community has always been a priority, and I currently sit on two boards in addition to my role as the ITCOW co-coordinator. I have three beautiful adult children and seven grandchildren, who are the light of my life, along with my true love and partner, Barry. Sylvia Racca
I live in Orange NH with the love of my life, my dog Spot! I am helping to coordinate In the Company of Women because I believe passionately in the ability of this group to inspire, heal, enrich, enliven, love, support and bring joy to each woman who attends. I have experienced that myself. Professionally, I am the Executive Director of the Dartmouth College Fund, and have been in higher education fundraising for 30 years. When I am not working, I am reading as many books as I can put my hands on, cooking (think homemade pasta!), and hiking with my dog Spot. See you at Ferry Beach! |
Pricing
Conference Package (Pricing per Person) |
Conference Package for Lodgers: Adult: $546 (Includes Conference Fees + Daily Meals) Conference Package for Commuters: Adult Commuter: $462 (Includes Conference Fees + Lunch & Dinner) Meals are included, there is no way to separate meals from the package price. Note: Lodging is not included in the conference package price, it's added on, the price varies depending on your desired lodging accommodation, see below. |
Lodging |
Lodging Prices Vary Base on Selection. See our Lodging Page for pricing information. |
Membership |
Membership must be paid to attend any Ferry Beach program and is due annually. Individual Membership: $40 Family Membership: $65 See our Membership Page to learn more and to purchase or renew a membership. You can also renew your membership on your reservation. |
Register |
To register online click here, or call the office at 207-282-4489. You can also email [email protected]. |
Scholarships Available: We believe that no woman should be excluded due to lack of funds, so we have set up partial scholarships. There is also the possibility of a shortened stay or commuting for a day or more. In other words, a “no excuses” policy… because you’re worth it! To apply for a scholarship, email us here by 7/1/24.
Our mission at Ferry Beach is to awaken hearts to explore, grow and renew the spirit of universal love.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
