Trumansburg group launches to support women with workshops, networking

Amy Puryear, a music teacher and singer who teaches SingSong Music Classes to children ages one to four at Perry City Friends Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, found herself with a beautiful and empty space in the afternoon when an idea struck her: what if the space could be used to support local women?

She then turned to Facebook, where she said she was in the “dreaming phases” of her concept and wanted to see if there was any interest in her idea of a setting for (and led by) women within the community.

The response to the idea was huge, leading to the creation of a Women’s Wellness Wednesdays Facebook group that has grown to nearly 300 members.

“Within the first night that I put that post on Facebook, I had over 100 comments, and everyone was just like, ‘Yes, let’s do this,’ and ‘I would love to join,’ or ‘I would love to lead this type of workshop,’ or ‘I would love to lead that type of workshop — count me in.’ And so I just took it from there, and it’s been really, really well received and well attended every week,” said Puryear.

Some past workshops have included a discussion on perimenopause and menopause with Dr. Lori Davis, a clean beauty hand spa and a sound bath and DIY massage. 

Puryear attributes the significant response to living in an “awesome community” and women looking to see connection in a post pandemic environment.

“I think because we’ve been so separated over the years of the pandemic and are now feeling like we can gather together again in meaningful ways, I feel like it was kind of just the timing of it,” said Puryear. “You feel like everyone is longing, and that’s what a lot of people have even said to me in response to that original post [on Facebook.]”

She also said that some women had approached her privately at events, stating that they needed the connection and an evening out, and thanked her for bringing the idea to life. 

“It just kind of came together in this really beautiful, organic way,” said Puryear. “I put a bunch of ideas out there to start with, and then people just kind of added on to it. From there, I took some of the ideas that were first mentioned, and I reached out to some friends in the community that I knew could lead some of these different types of workshops. Everyone that I’ve reached out to has just been overjoyed to be part of it and to volunteer their services and their passions and their expertise in different areas.”

Puryear encourages members to contribute event ideas or to let her know of someone else who may want to conduct an event.

“The connective and supportive environment co-created by every attendee, guided by our intention to share care and energy was healing in and of itself,” said Jesse Beardslee, who co-hosted an event with Puryear. “When women gather to focus on wellness magic happens. The Perry City Friends Meeting Hall has served as a safe space Wednesday evenings with Amy’s intentions being focused on women’s wellness, and I’m so grateful to have connected with women there.”

While Women’s Wellness Wednesdays takes suggested donations to support some expenses, Puryear emphasizes that the program is an opportunity for women who wish to share things with other women in the community.

It’s also a chance for women to network and support each other’s businesses, said Puryear. 

“They’re getting this exposure to this whole other group of women who then might reach out to them on the side afterward and say, ‘You know, I’d love to come, you know, to your chiropractic office and get an adjustment or I’d love to come to your yoga class or I’d love to purchase some of your clean beauty products that we used in the hand spa,’” said Puryear. “So, there’s just all different ways that we’re supporting each other with it.”

Because ideas for workshops and events continue to flow inside the group, Puryear said that she’s already scheduled events for the remainder of this year and a few events for the beginning of next year.

“I just want it to keep growing and growing,” she said. “My goal is just to continue to cultivate this and see where it goes from here.”

Puryear said that she is happy to have created a space where women can come together, de-stress and support each other in a safe and loving environment.

“I feel like it’s a gift that we don’t often give to ourselves,” she said. “We don’t often just allow ourselves to have that. It just feels so good to arrive there and to be surrounded by other women in the community.” 

Although it traditionally meets on Wednesday evenings, the group is holding a special self-care-inspired event on Sunday, Nov. 19, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The event will feature clean beauty products, nutrition response muscle testing, gluten-free treats and a few creative craft stations.

“I want this event to be just pampering the women that join and offer all sorts of fun goodies for them,” said Puryear.

Upcoming Wellness Wednesdays events cover Holistic Hormonal Balancing on Nov. 8, Wen-Do Women’s Self Defense on Nov. 15, Sunday Self-Care Extravaganza on Nov. 19, Community Sing on Nov. 29, an art workshop on Dec. 6 and a workshop on letting go of stress on Dec. 13.

“We are also planning to have a first aid/CPR workshop, more yoga, a tarot card reading workshop and more,” said Puryear. 

For more information on upcoming events, visit the group on Facebook by searching “Women’s Wellness Wednesdays.” The group welcomes those identifying as women, nonbinary, gender-fluid, transgender or intersex.