The following is a message from Geordie Farrell, co-founder of the Saugeen Track and Field Club that has trained many local athletes who have gone on to achieve national and international awards, including scholarships and at the Olympics.
Never one to give up, Geordie continues to fundraise in the name of her late husband Earl and also as a spokesperson following her own health issues.
by Geordie Farrell
“Seven years ago, I said goodbye to my best friend and the love of my life, Earl. While the acute grief has abated, I still miss him deeply.
I know that the best way for me to honour and celebrate Earl, and to keep his memory alive, is to maintain his love of healthy active living.
On March 20th, I will be turning 75 years old. The thought is somewhat terrifying, but at the same time, I am incredibly grateful to be able to live the life that I do. While I would rather be celebrating with Earl, I am so thankful for the wonderful group of friends who support me when I need a leg up. To celebrate my birthday, I am committed to raising money for two registered charitable organizations that I hold closely to my heart:
1.The Earl Farrell Endowment Fund – a fund that I started in 2021 to honour Earl’s memory. The Fund is managed by the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation and is used to enhance in-patient comfort and care. Since 2021 I have celebrated Earl’s memory and our joint passion for healthy, active living by participating in various events, and Earl’s
Endowment Fund has continued to grow. The interest from the fund has been used to purchase 12 iPads for patient use and artwork for the renovated patient rooms. It will be used in 2026 to purchase Patient Comfort Kits (items to make hospital stays not quite so overwhelming and lonely). The fund is currently sitting at just over $85,000, thanks to everyone who has donated so generously over the past five years. My goal is to help the fund reach $100,000 in 2026, a base that will generate enough interest annually to guarantee enhanced patient comfort and care in future years. DONATE at https://smhfoundation.ca/earlfarrell/ (in the message, add: Geordie’s Birthday Bash)
2.Bernie’s Boat – a dragon boat team of breast cancer survivors. After completing treatment for breast cancer in 2024, I wanted to do something to help breast cancer survivors in Bruce and Grey. I read about Dr. Don McKenzie from British Columbia who, in the mid 1990s, had started dragon boat paddling for breast cancer survivors to determine if exercise was beneficial. The results were statistically significant. Physical exercise helped recovery after treatment, reduced the incidence of recurrence and helped prevent lymphedema in cancer patients. Since then, dragon boat paddling for breast cancer survivors has grown and teams can be found all over the world. This was all I needed to know. There were no teams to be found north of London, so I gathered up a group of breast cancer survivors, and we formed our own team. In 2025, we became a registered charity, purchased our own boat, and started paddling on the Saugeen River, Southampton. Already, our team, Bernie’s Boat, has grown to over 65 members, all breast cancer survivors. We donated $5,000 to Brightshores Health – Owen Sound Hospital for breast cancer patients, and formed the Sisterhood Support Fund, one which provides direct financial support to those with breast cancer who are undergoing treatment.
Photo submitted
Donations to Bernie’s Boat will help grow the Sisterhood Fund, so that we can offer continued financial support to local breast cancer survivors. DONATE at https://berniesboat.ca. (In the message, add: Geordie’s Birthday Bash)
MY COMMITMENT- THE BASH PART! On Saturday, March 21st (the day after my birthday), I plan to complete a triathlon of sorts. I will swim 75 lengths at the new Pryde Wellness and Aquatic Centre, bike for 75 minutes or 75km (TBA!!) on my trainer at Fitness Corner in Southampton, then run 7.5km. I started training for this adventure in early October and while I am nowhere near to being ready, I know that I still have a month left to train and miracles can happen. Dream big, right?!
YOU ARE INVITED! I am inviting everyone who wishes, to join me for part (or all!) of this adventure. The swim will be the first event, tentatively starting at 7:00 a.m. The ride part will be both in-person (at Fitness Corner, Southampton) and virtual (a banded ride set up on Zwift~ an online gaming platform). It will be broadcast in the gym on a giant screen and will follow a beautiful flat route through the sunflowers in France. The run part will be three times around a 2.5km loop near the Fitness Corner in Southampton.
If you would like to join me for all or part of the swim, ride (in person or virtually, on Zwift), or for the run (or walk, or whatever!), please email me at farrell@bmts.com and I will send you details.
More information will be forthcoming. But in the meantime, please consider donating to either the Earl Farrell Endowment Fund or Bernie’s Boat. I would be absolutely thrilled to see both grow.”
