Nicknamed “Boomer”, those who served with him knew that he left this world a better place. “One of the things Andrew wrote home about was a small thing he did that put a smile on a child’s face. He said it was the most important thing about this tour,” Maureen shares. Andrew’s humanitarian spirit lives on today through Boomer’s Legacy, with over a million dollars raised in the last ten years to help men and women in uniform make a positive difference by providing food, medical supplies and other essentials to those affected by the conflict. “A process has recently been established to distribute funds on domestic projects that meet the original mandate and mission of Boomer’s Legacy,” according to Chief of the Defence Staff, General J.H. Vance. “This foundation will remain forever the symbol of the impact that Cpl Eykelenboom had on those with whom he served to help others.”
The foundation is now a fund under the Support Our Troops Program, part of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS). At home or abroad, when a member of the CAF is in a position to help local people, Boomer’s Legacy can assist. The application process is outlined at supportourtroops.ca. Hundreds of Canadians have played a role in Boomer’s Legacy, many by joining the annual Boomer’s Legacy BC bike ride, an incredible two-day cycling experience that covers 240 km of Vancouver Island. The ride’s hundred cyclists each carry the biography of a fallen soldier, and a ceremony to honour the soldiers’ service to Canada concludes the event. Similar Boomer’s Legacy bike rides and ridea-thon events have also been held in Ottawa and Nova Scotia.
“I know that this is what my son would have wanted,” says Maureen. “Helping our soldiers help others is our mission, and it’s what we will always do, no matter where they are.”
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