Participants in Red Deer’s Terry Fox Run were undeterred by snowy weather on Sunday.
Lori Hutchings, one of the run organizers, said generally it’s been nice weather for the annual run with the exception of one cold and rainy run a few years back.
“This is our first year with rain and snow, but we look at it as an adventure. Terry Fox ran in any kind of weather. His first few days of the run in Newfoundland were similar to this so we’ll stick with his momentum and go with it,” Hutchings said as volunteers set up a registration tent, barbecue, and coffee and drink stand as snow fell in preparation for the 11 a.m. run.
Breast Cancer survivor Jean Miller, of Gull Lake, said snow couldn’t scare her away from her third Terry Fox Run.
“We are tough Albertans. We are,” said Miller, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2008.
“It’s a fun event, and if you’re really behind it you should be out there doing your thing.”
Terry Fox Runs take place in over 9,000 communities across Canada each year. All money raised goes to the Terry Fox Foundation which is the largest non-governmental organization funding cancer research in Canada.
Sunday’s run was an important local milestone because it raised just over $10,000 which means the Red Deer run has raised $500,000 over its 38-year history.
“That’s our goal and we were half way there as of (Saturday) night,” Hutchings said.
In Red Deer the one, two, five and 10-km run follows city trails past Great Chief Park and Bower Ponds before looping back to Heritage Ranch.
Hutchings said about 50 people had registered online by Saturday, and many tend to register at the event.
“We usually get somewhere between 200 and 300 people on a nice day so we’ll see how Red Deerians respond to the weather,” Hutchings said.
Loretta Winia, run organizer, said people continue to support the run because Terry Fox has been identified as a Canadian hero, and the Terry Fox Foundation is totally run by volunteers with 82 cents from every dollar raised going to research.
“If you’re donating to a cause and looking at how much goes to administration, and some people do now, then it’s a good cause in that respect,” Winia said.
Brain cancer survivor Danny Barnes, who led Sunday’s run, said he likes the fact that the foundation puts money towards childhood cancer research.
“Childhood cancer is kind of underfunded and doesn’t get enough research and the survival rate isn’t as high as other cancers,” said Barnes, 17, of Red Deer.
Next year the run is moving from Heritage Ranch to Mackenzie Trails with registration and barbecue indoors at Gateway Christian School.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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