The fourth annual joint community and schools Terry Fox Run began with its now customary grand assembly – almost 2,000 students from four schools gathering at the edge of the Innisfail Schools Campus.
Under beautiful early autumn skies, they smiled, laughed and posed for photographs. And when the picture taking and speeches were over the kids from the three Chinook's Edge schools and from St. Marguerite Bourgeoys School all walked and ran for one of Canada's most iconic causes.
“It is that the individual can definitely make an impact,” said Jason Drent, the new principal of École John Wilson Elementary School on the ultimate message of the event. “Even at a small age when we are talking to them about what one individual can do, and when you look at bringing all those individuals today, this is what you get. What you saw here today is a powerful message.”
The message was clear. One individual, the late Terry Fox, could and did make a huge difference to Canadians and millions around the world when he began a solitary and initially unrecognized mission on April 12, 1980, when he dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean near St. John's, Newfoundland. But his Marathon of Hope journey soon garnered momentum and widespread attention with Canadians from coast to coast. When cancer forced Fox to stop outside of Thunder Bay, Ont. on Sept. 1 of that year, he was a hero in Canada and across the globe. He passed away on June 28, 1981, but his mission continued and more than $650 million has been raised for the Terry Fox Foundation for ongoing cancer research.
Innisfail's Scotiabank sponsored this year's community and schools run, which had three routes – a one-kilometre version on the campus grounds for elementary school kids, a three-kilometre run and walk for middle schools students, and a five-kilometre route for high school students and other citizens of the community.
Bank staff fundraised as a team and all monies collected are being matched by Scotiabank. So far, $775 has been raised through a bake sale held Sept. 4 during the town's community hosting of Stage 2 of the Tour of Alberta and by donations by staff members.
“We have participated in the Terry Fox Run in the community for a number of years. We think it is a good cause,” said Jill Pedersen, a bank financial advisor. “It has very low administration fees so the money that is pledged goes to help the cause.”
Jay Steeves, principal of Innisfail Middle School, said it was vitally important that staff works hard with children in the days and weeks before the event to help them understand the primary purpose of the annual event.
“Especially as the years pass it becomes more difficult to recollect why we are doing this,” said Steeves. “We use a video in our school to circulate through the classrooms for them to understand who Terry Fox was and the purpose behind it.
“I think everyone has been affected by cancer in some form or another, whether it be family members or different types,” he added. “Maybe some students haven't experienced that in life yet, so we want to talk about it openly and help get the experience learned that way too.”
Steeves said each of the four participating schools independently raised money for the cause, including his own school, which had a loonie and toonie collection. All the money from the schools will then be turned over to Scotiabank. Final collection figures were not yet available.
