Cumberland County YMCA Recognizes Merry Farnum

Wednesday, Nov 2, 2011

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Our cause at the Y is "strengthening the foundations of community."  Over the past 160 years we have seen how the Y has done that throughout the world, which makes it such a vital organization.  However, we also know that strengthening the world's community begins with strengthening the foundation of the much smaller communities throughout each YMCA service area.  Together, these small foundations, if very strong, become a piece of a larger, world-wide foundation.  And that is why, focusing on each community, no matter how small, is critical.

And from what we know of Merry Farnum, our Cyrus Hagge Building Strong Communities Award Winner, is that, in each community in which she is involved, she passionately works to strengthen its foundation.  She leaves her mark on each one.

Anyone who knows Merry knows  that she has a passion for swimming.  And so it is through swimming that she has impacted communities.  Merry ran the Falmouth Middle School Swim Team for three years as a volunteer and currently runs the Falmouth High School Swim Team.  In working with each of these small communities, Merry worked not only to make the kids better swimmers, she inspired them, and gave them the confidence to believe that they have what it takes to be the best they can be.

Every child needs a positive adult role model as their foundation to become an important part of the community, and to in return impact the lives of future children.  Merry strives to be just this, and has done so in the children's lives that she has had a chance to impact.  Merry is able to show each individual child that she cares, and that they are an important part of a bigger team, a foundation.  In doing so, Merry has created a stronger swim team community within the Falmouth School system.

Merry is a role model in the swimming community having finished the 2.4 mile swim 23 times - without a wetsuit!  Merry not only is a role model for all swimmers, but an important part in the YMCA Peaks to Portland community.  She has helped the YMCA Peaks to Portland community thrive.  In the past few years she has grown from a swimmer to a community builder by becoming more involved.  She first joined the YMCA Peaks to Portland focus group to strategize on how to make the event stronger.  One strategy opened up the event to let more swimmers in.  Merry volunteered to teach training classes to help inspire and prepare swimmers who were taking on this challenge for the first time.  It was through this that the event saw a record number of swimmers - over half of whom were experiencing YMCA Peaks to Portland the first time.  Merry has also become a media spokesperson for the event, describing it as a great community swimming event as well as successful fundraiser for the Y's financial assistance program.  Merry's contribution helped to double the number of event participants, raise the most ever for financial assistance, and infuse new energy around the event.

Merry is now branching out and getting involved in other small communities and is making her mark.  She's active on the Portland Branch board, annual support campaign, the Men's Residence Program Dinner, and other special events.  With each community she joins, Merry brings her positive attitude and enthusiasm, making the world a bit brighter.

We look forward to seeing the impact of Merry's passion for strengthening the community in the years to come.