Perfect weather and spirited participation helped local residents raise $100,000 towards an event honouring one of the country’s greatest-ever citizens.
This year’s Terry Fox Day in the Heart of Georgian Bay attracted close to 700 participants, who came out to Perkinsfield Park Sunday morning.
“The reason we’re doing this is to invest in research and eliminate cancer from Terry’s world,” event chairperson Don Chapman tells MidlandToday.
While some participants may have been running for a close friend or relative who has either battled or is battling cancer, all enjoyed the camaraderie on a wonderful mid-September day along with the chance to hear some live music and enjoy a bite to eat after their walk, run or bike along the preset course.
“This is a great cause and we had a great program; we got a tonne of compliments,” says Chapman, who credits fellow organizer Pat Boyd with “doing a fabulous job putting together our online auction.”
Last year, local efforts raised more than $102,000 with Chapman noting that the local record total remains the $107,000 collected two years ago.
“We’re delighted and think it (this year) went very well,” Chapman says, noting more than 120 organizations and businesses provided auction items along with food, drinks and treats for both before and after the event.
Afterwards, Chapman says the surplus food, drinks and treats were donated to needy organizations throughout the community, including schools, food banks and women’s shelters.
This year’s theme from the Terry Fox Foundation was ‘no matter what’, which Chapman explained were “just three words that represent Terry Fox so well.”
“He would not give up, and he would not give up, and he would not give up – it was just phenomenal, and that's why we run. That's why we do this crazy, crazy event."
At age 18, Terry Fox was diagnosed with bone cancer in 1977 resulting in the amputation of his right leg. He became a national hero when he began the Marathon of Hope in 1980, running 42 kilometres per day across Canada to raise money for cancer research.
The fundraiser lasted until September 1980 when cancer reappeared in his lungs; Fox passed away in June 1981 at age 22, having completed 5,373 kilometres over the 143-day span.
Chapman’s 20-year involvement with the Terry Fox Foundation had provided the opportunity to watch as annual participation and contributions in north Simcoe increased as well as across the country. The organization raised more than $875 million over the past 40 years, and was ranked the top charity by Innovation Canada for two consecutive years against its peers.
Of note, Chapman praised the efforts of volunteers who made the effort possible. As all money raised through pledges, contributions and various sales went directly to the Terry Fox Foundation, only overhead costs were collected; for every dollar donated, 74 cents go to the cause.
