It’s amazing to see that the legacy of Terry Fox remains so strong 31 years after his initial “Marathon of Hope.”
Although Terry was forced to quit his cross-country trek near Thunder Bay when cancer spread to his lungs, eventually claiming his life the following June a month shy of his 23rd birthday, runs continue to be held across Canada and around the world to this day—raising more than $550 million for cancer research over the years.
Fortunately, the congregation of the Church of the Holy Spirit, spearheaded by Cheryle Wolff, has stepped to the plate to keep Terry’s dream alive here in Fort Frances.
The local Terry Fox Run was teetering on the brink of folding just two years ago, when 24 participants raised a little over $1,300. But the event bounced back last September when the church took over organizing it, with 98 participants collecting $11,528.23 in pledges.
This year, about 80 people turned out, raising $9,176.91 for the cause—an awesome feat considering the cold, rainy conditions on Sunday.
Fort High will hold its annual Terry Fox Run this Friday morning (Sept. 23) in conjunction with Homecoming activities, and most district elementary students once again will be raising money for the Terry Fox Foundation next Wednesday (Sept. 28) as part of the National School Run Day. While those efforts are to be commended, it’s great to see an actual Terry Fox Run is thriving here again, with hopes of it becoming a more district-wide draw in the years ahead.
Kudos to the Church of the Holy Spirit for picking up the torch of Terry’s legacy, as well as to all those who either took part in Sunday’s run or pledged money. At a time when so many worthy causes are looking for much-needed funds, the generosity of area residents continues to shine.