by Rachel Everett-Fry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Terry Fox Run Day was September 19, and the Terry Fox Flag was flown at the Municipal Centre from September 14 to 20. At the flag raising ceremony on September 14, Mayor Nancy Peckford remarked:
“Terry Fox had a dream: to fight cancer, and win. After losing his leg to cancer at the young age of 18, he dedicated his life to raising awareness of this deadly disease and to raise money for cancer research. He decided to turn an improbable dream into reality – to run across Canada raising money for cancer research.
“Two years later, Terry began a cross-country marathon in my home province of Newfoundland. With fierce determination and hope, Terry ran an average of 42 km each day, every day, for 143 days, through six provinces, for a total of 5,373 kilometres. Terry ran his last day on September 1, 1980 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Terry wanted the Marathon of Hope to keep on going without him. Every year, Canadians participate in the Terry Fox Run in his honour and to raise money for cancer research. To date, the local Terry Fox Organization has raised over $850,000.”
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, this year’s Terry Fox Run was virtual for the second year in a row. Mayor Peckford noted that last year, “over 70 individuals, teams and families came together in North Grenville and raised $15,930 for the virtual Terry Fox Run.”
Hopefully, this year will prove to be equally successful. Steven Paterson of the Kemptville Terry Fox Run Committee said that “despite being in the middle of a pandemic, the Terry Fox spirit is very much alive and well.”
