The Friendly City is once again holding a Terry Fox Run.
The local portion of the annual Canada-wide run for cancer research will take place on Sept. 16 at the speedskating oval in Kiwanis River Park in Wakamow Valley. Registration is at noon and the run begins at 1 p.m. Proceeds will go to the Terry Fox Foundation, which is one of the largest funders of cancer research in Canada.
“Think about what his dream was and how hard it was for him to basically run a marathon every day even though he had cancer,” said Jennifer Gauthier, organizer of the local run. “I think we can take part of one day a year to get some inspiration and try to raise money and help.”
Gauthier has taken part in the Terry Fox Run for many years. Last year she helped co-ordinate the run, but this year the usual organizer couldn’t do it, putting Gauthier in charge of everything. She encouraged people to come out and participate in the run.
“I’d like to emphasize that it is a non-competitive, all-inclusive family-oriented event,” said Gauthier. “I’m a marathon runner myself … but when I do this one it’s fun and I take my kids with me and I talk to them about Terry Fox and his life story and then I make it fun and I think it’s a good lesson.”
She added that she is still in need of volunteers to put up posters, helping with the barbecue, helping with warm-ups, putting route markers on the route or spreading the word about the run.
For more information, see an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
