By Adam Brazeau
CORNWALL, Ontario – It’s full speed ahead as Cornwall’s Terry Fox Run organizer Josée Sauvé shifts into full gear to make this year’s event the biggest yet.
The 34th edition of the Canadian tradition kicks off in front of the Cornwall Aquatic Centre on Sunday, September 14, with registration at 8 a.m., followed by opening ceremonies at 10 a.m.
Sauvé has led the event for nine years. Since then the fundraising total has risen from $13,903 in 2006 to $21,472 in 2013.
She believes that through cancer research the complex disease can one day be treatable.
“Terry’s hope was that someday the hurting would stop,” said Sauvé. “That’s why it’s important to continue to support the run – for cancer research and for hope.”
A unique aspect of the event is that it’s non-competitive. There are no prizes, ribbons or medals.
“You won’t get a free T-shirt for completing this run because that would take away from the money raised for cancer research,” she said.
According to Sauvé, the Terry Fox Foundation boasts only an 18 per cent overhead with the remainder going directly to cancer research.
Everyone is invited to walk, bicycle, run, or skate one to 10 kilometres along the bike path headed east. The run’s direction was changed in 2012 due to the construction of the new low-level bridge.
And don’t worry about getting lost, there are markers and event signs along the entire route.
Since people don’t sign up ahead of time for the run and instead register on the day itself, it’s impossible for Sauvé to predict the amount of participants.
“However, we hope it’s more than last year as we always like to break records,” she said.
Participants can make a personal donation of any amount. Or they can collect pledges from friends, neighbours, family members, and co-workers ahead of time.
Pledge forms can be printed and online donations can be collected at www.terryfox.org.
The forms can also be picked up at BMO and RBC banks, the Cornwall Public Library, almost all local fitness clubs, LCBOs, Pat’s Home Cookin’, aquatic centre, Benson Centre, Short Line Convenience & Video Store, and Play It Again Sports.
For more information, contact Cornwall’s Terry Fox Run organizer Josée Sauvé at 613-932-6601 ext. 121 or by e-mail at cornwallterryfoxrun@hotmail.com.
