828 Custom Printing helps FHS athletes raise funds for teammate

What started out as a season filled with many uncertainties has now evolved to one focused and

centered around one united goal. Three simple words – “Running for Ferrell” have come to define the

fall season for Franklin High School’s cross country team motivating them to run not for themselves but

rather for a teammate in need.

Teammate Ethan Farrell, a junior at FHS, was involved in a serious car accident on July 25. Since the day of his accident, he has fought hard every day to recover with his teammates encouraging him daily from home. Currently, Farrell is a patient at the Shepherd’s Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and this week will be moving to Shepherd’s Pathways, the final step in his rehabilitation in Atlanta before coming home. Farrell is expected to be coming home in the next four to six weeks.

From the beginning, the team wanted to do something more to help their teammate. FHS senior Dylan Garcia came up with the idea to sell bracelets with the words “Running for Farrell” as a fundraiser for the family. The team has sold out of bracelets raising over $1,200 to help the family. Garcia, who broke the two-mile school record last year credits Farrell for helping her succeed while at FHS.

“He has helped me so much and helped me break two-mile record just a few months before his

accident,” said Garcia. “The fundraisers are like pay back for what he has done for me.”

“He has been the greatest teammate for me,” she added. “Every day before practice we would talk and

encourage each other. Helping him is just like helping a family member. I just can’t imagine him not coming back out here.”

Wanting a t-shirt with the slogan for herself, Garcia came up with the idea for a second fundraiser for

the family to sell t-shirts bearing the slogan. The t-shirt fundraiser was made possible by Tiffany Henry

with 828 Custom Printing.

This week surrounded by the cross country team and coaches, Tiffany Henry presented Shawn Farrell

with a check for $1,600 for the proceeds from the tshirt fundraiser. The fundraiser is still ongoing and tshirts can be purchased from the Kountry Kitchen or form the 828 Custom Printing website with all proceeds going to the Farrell family.

“We would like to thank the community for their support,” said Henry. “The t-shirt fundraiser has gone above and beyond what we expected. We have had tremendous support from both the Macon and Jackson County communities.”

“Farrell has been our inspiration especially during our summer workouts,” said FHS cross country coach Melissa. “His accident hit us all really hard, and I think the team has struggled some from it, but now we tell them we are out here doing this for Farrell.”

The goal of the coaches is to continue to include Farrell as much as they can as a part of the team when he returns home. Farrell will now be a part of coaching staff and plans travel with the team.

The team will officially start their season on November 4 with the meet scheduled for November 14 against West Henderson at Jackson Park in Hendersonville with plans to have Farrell join them as a coach.