INNISFAIL – After more than a decade of chasing an elusive dream Patrick Gleason can finally proclaim mission accomplished.
It has been about 10 years since Gleason took charge of the annual Innisfail Terry Fox Run.
A decade ago, the local event came close to folding but Gleason stepped in with energy and commitment to resurrect local interest.
He soon was committed to an all-important goal; raising more than $10,000 from a single annual event.
It’s believed Innisfail’s Terry Fox Run, not including donations from town schools, had never before reached the elusive $10,000 mark.
Last week, after receiving final donation totals from the 44th annual Innisfail Terry Fox Run on Sept. 15, Gleason discovered Innisfailians not only exceeded $10,000 they completely obliterated the longstanding goal.
The final total for 2024 is $11,549.67; monies that will go towards the Terry Fox Foundation’s commitment to cancer research to find a cure for the dreaded disease.
In 2023 the Innisfail Terry Fox Run raised $6,361.
“My goal was always to raise $10,000, so this is fantastic. Two years ago we raised just under $10,000 ($9,900) so this is really a milestone,” said Gleason.
“A great big thank you to all the donors, participants, and volunteers who made the 2024 Terry Fox Run such a success.
“We had a really solid team. I could tell from the online pledges that it was going to be a good day, and that online direction of revenues have been steadily increasing every year.”
What has also been huge for the local run was sponsorships.
A big one over many years has come from Innisfail Scotiabank.
Gleason said when he took over the reins from Bill Hoppins, past chair of the event’s organizing committee, he was told to make immediate contact with Scotiabank because the financial institution had always been a committed supporter of the local Terry Fox Run.
“He (Hoppins) said, ‘just talk to the people of Scotiabank, and what they do is try to promote the Terry Fox Run within the bank, and they have a team that is part of the event,” said Gleason. “And we ask people if it's okay if we put money on the Scotiabank team's pledge sheets, and then the corporate Scotiabank will then match that money up to $3,000.”
Gleason also noted there was continued substantial support from other groups, including the always reliable Innisfail Lions Club.
“They are the little mighty service club of Innisfail,” noted Gleason. “They do incredible things, and they are absolutely solid supporters of the Terry Fox Run. They are also there to help set up and help in any way that they can.”
Gleason said the Innisfail Lions Club also made a donation of about $2,000.
Not to be ever forgotten was the ongoing support from Innisfail Pizza, and the local Subway restaurant and Tim Hortons franchises.
What is also critically important for Gleason is to keep the eye on the ball for the future.
“I think for the immediate future, yes,” he said. “We need to take a look at different ways to promote the run, and certainly continue to look at ways that we can encourage people to make online pledges too.”
