Heather Latter
This year’s local Terry Fox Run saw more participants than last year, with 118 registered participants hitting the pavement from the Sorting Gap Marina to Seven Oaks and back—and raising more than $9,700.
“I thought it went fabulously,” enthused Jane Trivers, who helped organize the event along with members of the congregation of the Church of the Holy Spirit here.
“There was such a positive aura,” she added. “I just found people were so supportive of each other and just so focused on being part of a solution.”
She noted perhaps the beautiful weather brought some more people out, as last year’s run was a rainy one, with about 80 participants bring in $9,100.
“I think it keeps growing,” she expressed, citing this is the third year the church has planned the event. “There’s been a reawakening. Each year builds on what we learned from the year before.
“The first year was the 30th anniversary, so there was a real natural enthusiasm,” she said. “And then last year the weather was not the best, but still we were starting to grow again. And this year we’ve grown again, so I’m very pleased about that.”
Trivers stressed she was also thrilled to see many children taking part in the run.
“The schools do a Terry Fox event at the end of September,” she explained. “But there were still kids out and I was very excited that I saw them being part of the community one, as well as the school one.”
Children received medals and loot bags after completing the run, and of course there were balloons, too.
“It was fun to have the balloons and loot bags and I think it makes the kids feel invited and wanted,” she voiced, adding she was pleased with the donations of items from local services to include in the loot bags.
Also prior to the run, participants were encouraged to sign a board in honour or in memory of a loved one, as this year’s theme was to “honor those who have past” and “celebrate those who have survived.”
“I really liked that people enjoyed being able to say those names again and write those names,” Trivers expressed. “I found a lot of generational connecting. I found grandmas were taking younger children over to sign the board and it was a real moment of family connecting.”
She noted the church plans to host the event again next year and will again have the boards out for people to sign.
“We’ll just keep adding names and cram them full until we need a new one,” she said. “I’m really hoping the survivor board fills up faster. It’s not looking that way, but who knows.
“That can almost be a barometer for us to see how research can impact the fighting of this horrible disease,” she noted.
Following the run, participants were invited to a meal of sandwiches, pickles, fruit, vegetables, and cookies prepared by the TOPS group from Devlin.
“Not only does it help us out, but it is so neat to connect with other groups,” she voiced. “I think that is part of why it’s getting strong again—we are connecting with more groups and more people.”
There, Samantha Halliday was acknowledged as the top child fundraiser, while George Walsh was named the top male fundraiser and Amy Shute was the top female fundraiser.
Trivers feels the local Terry Fox Run is becoming a district-wide event.
“There were many people who called in to purchase shirts from surrounding communities,” she said. “And I think that’s exciting because it’s not just a Fort Frances event—it’s for the whole district.”
Trivers thanked all of the participants and volunteers, including Ted Brockie and members of the congregation, who helped make the event a success.
