It started 29 years ago and this year it’s ending. The Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation has announced the farewell of the beloved Barbara Schmidt Millar Triathlon. But not without a final celebration. A mini-event, featuring an indoor swim, cycle, and run, with an outdoor option, if conditions permit, will take place at the South Yuba Club on September 17th. Foundation Executive Director Sandra Barrington says a combination factors led to what was a tearful decision for many. That included recent years of cancellations, including weather uncertainty, such as wildfire smoke a year ago…

click to listen to Sandra Barrington

Barrington says that also hurt participation, with the number of riders signed up this year about half of the glory years. The uncertainty also hurt sponsorships…

click to listen to Sandra Barrington

Millar died from cancer in 1995. Over the years, the Triathlon had made significant impacts on the community, providing nearly 14-hundred free mammograms and 230-thousand dollars in scholarships for aspiring nurses and healthcare workers. But the Foundation says it remains committed to continuing the important work through the Millar Fund. Access to life-saving screenings and follow-up care will still be available to those in need.