Part of the charm of living in a small community, such as Peterborough, is we get to know the local ‘characters’ by name and learn about their stories!
One such favourite character of Peterborough is Paul Henry MacFarland. He was affectionately known as “Half A Deck,” and made his living at odd jobs. Paul wasn’t a success in the conventional meaning of the word; he was, however, a success in making the most of what he did well, and that was marathon running.
Over the years Paul ran, walked or jogged in numerous marathons to raise tens of thousands of dollars in aid of causes such as the Canadian Cancer Society, Five Counties Childrens’ Centre, the Autistic Children, and Spina Bifida Associations. Towards the end of his life, after undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer, Paul jogged from Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital to Peterborough, raising money for the Cancer Society as a thank-you for providing him transportation to, and from chemotherapy.
Paul MacFarland remains a shining example that caring is the greatest gift one person can give – and one person’s greatest accomplishment is making the most of the hand, which you are dealt.