INNISFAIL – The annual Innisfail Terry Fox Run this month will mark the 40th anniversary of the late hero’s triumph and despite the COVID-19 pandemic the milestone will still be honoured.
However, the coast-to-coast celebration will be a virtual event, including Innisfail’s community run, which will offer participants the opportunity to honour Fox’s legacy.
Patrick Gleason, the Innisfail Terry Fox Run’s longtime organizer, said it’s his belief officials with the national event sincerely wanted to go ahead with traditional community runs despite the ongoing pandemic but in the end going online was considered the best and safest option.
The Terry Fox Foundation declared this year that the 40th annual Terry Fox Run, including the one in Innisfail, would be held safely and virtually on Sunday, Sept. 20, with the theme: Terry Fox Virtual Run. One Day. Your Way.
“Because it is the 40th anniversary they really did want something to happen without compromising the health of their volunteers and of course the participants,” said Gleason. “Like many things it has gone online.”
However, he emphasized that while there is no formal routes this year from Centennial Park participants can get imaginative for the celebration.
“Basically people can do it anyway they want,” he said. “If they want to go out and pick out a course and walk or run, then great. If they want to run around their yard 10 times so be it. It’s whatever way you want to do it. Then you just make your pledge online.
“People have already been making pledges and so you don’t have to wait until September 20. People have been making pledges in advance.”
Gleason said on Sept. 3 his local committee had just received their package of supplies from Terry Fox Run officials in Calgary. He added the first week of September was “kind of a blitz” with putting out posters and signs and ensuring the community was aware of the run, particularly since it’s a milestone year for the event that has to be presented virtually to all supporters.
“We are certainly encouraging people if they want to take some pictures of the activities and submit to either our Innisfail Terry Fox link or the one for Alberta,” he said.
Despite the radically different way the Innisfail Terry Fox Run will be held this year during the COVID pandemic, Gleason is still hopeful the event will set a record for donations and pledges made.
“We came really close last year to raising about $9,000. I think that is best we’ve done. Always the goal for me is to try to hit that $10,000,” he said.
Gleason said monies raised during the run’s 40th anniversary year will towards cancer research.
“The focus, especially with the Terry Fox Foundation, has really been on research for quite a while now, certainly any research projects spearheaded in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, places that would be looked at very seriously,” he said.
Since the first Terry Fox Run was held in 1981, the year the Port Coquitlam, B.C. resident died, more than $800 million had been raised for cancer research.
There are now calls to have Terry Fox’s image appear on the next Canadian $5 bill. His name is included on the Bank of Canada’s official nomination page.
For citizens wanting to be part of this year’s virtual run and to make a pledge go to terryfox.org
For more information on the Innisfail Terry Fox Run call Gleason at 403-358-1451.
