Staff
Despite having less than half the number of participants than last year, the local Terry Fox Run went off without a hitch Sunday afternoon—raising more than $5,000 for cancer research.
“I thought it went very smoothly but I was sad to see that the numbers were down a bit,” admitted Jane Trivers, who helped organize the event along with members of the congregation of the Church of the Holy Spirit here.
While there were 118 registered participants last year, this year saw just 43 people take part in the 5K walk/run.
“We’re just hoping people will come out next year—cancer does not go away, the Terry Fox Run doesn’t go away,” Trivers stressed.
“So hopefully some more people will come out because we do have great time.”
Trivers also noted it’s a “fabulous” route from the Sorting Gap Marina to Seven Oaks and back.
“And then the fellowship after with the meal is just wonderful,” she added, noting everyone was invited to the church to enjoy homemade chili, veggies and dip, pickles, buns, and dessert.
There, Samantha Halliday was acknowledged as the top child fundraiser, bringing in more than $1,500 in pledges, while George Walsh was named the top male fundraiser, garnering more than $1,200 in pledges.
The top female fundraiser, meanwhile, was Charlotte Berg ($280).
They each received a plaque for their efforts.
“The turnout was less than what we had hoped for [but] there have been a lot of ‘walk for’ causes, and with the town’s economy and the situation with the mill, we are very thankful for what we did raise for Terry,” said co-organizer Cheryle Wolff.
Trivers thought perhaps the event just seem to come up quickly on a lot of people since this year it was held at its earliest possible date.
“It’s always the third Sunday of September,” she explained, noting Sept. 1 fell on a Sunday this year, thus making the date of the event Sept. 15.
“It felt like the date came quickly for me this year and so maybe it did for others, too,” Trivers reasoned.
“Hopefully that’s all it was.”
Regardless, she feels people were very generous and that raising $5,000 with 43 participants was quite an accomplishment.
“Everyone should be proud,” Trivers stressed.
“The congregation of the Church of the Holy Spirit would like to thank everyone who participated in this years run,” added Wolff.
“The monies raised through the Terry Fox Run goes to cancer research and they have come so far with that,” she noted.
Many of the local schools, meanwhile, also will take part in the Terry Fox National School Run day on Sept. 26.
For more information or to donate online, visit www.terryfox.org
