INNISFAIL – There is renewed optimism for the future of the town’s Terry Fox Run.
Over the past four years the annual cherished event has been blunted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of the traditional Centennial Park venue, which caused lower participation and donations for the Terry Fox Foundation.
It also cast a growing concern for the event’s future.
But after this year’s 43rd annual run, lead organizer Patrick Gleason was all smiles.
“We certainly rebounded from last year,” said Gleason, adding the pre-run gloom is gone and there is renewed optimism for the future.
Gleason, who has been coordinating the event for more than a decade in honour of one of Canada’s greatest heroes, said it was actually understandable the event would go through some challenging times.
“I think that would be consistent with what happened with a lot of festivities. It was very early post COVID,” said Gleason. “People weren't out and about as much as they are now. I think that, especially this year, people just wanted to get back to what they used to do.
“People wanted to get out and we were extremely fortunate to have wonderful weather,” he added. “All of those things worked for us.”
For 2022 and 2023 Gleason and his team of volunteers had to find a new venue as Centennial Park, the run’s longstanding venue, had been booked for the new Innisfail Harvest Festival.
For both years organizers turned to venues at the west-side Napoleon Park Sports Fields. In 2022 the main staging area was at the Innisfail Twin Arena, and this year it was the Innisfail Curling Club, which delighted Gleason and his dedicated crew of volunteers.
“It was a lot better; a good staging area,” said Gleason of the Innisfail Curling Club. “The people who took part had positive remarks about the course. People were really happy about the venue. I was really pleased about the results.”
Gleason said the 2023 Terry Fox Run had about 35 participants, compared to under 30 in 2022.
As for total donations he said close to $7,000 was raised this year compared to just $6,000 last year. All funds go to the Terry Fox Foundation on behalf of the late hero’s dream to find a cure for cancer.
In the meantime, Gleason is already thinking about next year. He will try to work something out with the town about a possible return to Centennial Park but if that does not happen he is happy to once again utilize the Innisfail Curling Club.
“I'd love to stay there,” said Gleason. “It really is more much more ideal in lots of ways than Centennial Park.”
