Participants take part in the 2017 Terry Fox Run at Kin Coulee Park in this September 2017 file photo. After a pandemic-forced hiatus prohibited an in-person run for four years, the event is back and will take place at Medicine Hat College.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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This fall will usher in a new season of hope as the annual Terry Fox Run returns to Medicine Hat. After a four-year semi-hiatus, the run will be held at Medicine Hat College on Sept. 17.
Terry Fox’s older brother, Fred Fox, is expected to make a visit the week prior to the run.
“He wants to come and encourage us,” says Keith Walker, chair of the organizing committee for the Sunrise Rotary Club.
The goal is to raise $7,000 this year as set by the Terry Fox Foundation in what will be the 43rd annual run. At present the organizing committee has raised $1,970.
“We’re very optimistic that we’ll make more than that,” says Walker. The Sunrise Rotary Club has taken over the reigns of the local Terry Fox Run for three years after it was previously run by the Medicine Hat Kinette Club until 2019. The event was then virtual for two years and did not run at all last year.
“We’re bringing it back so that we can join the other 650 communities hosting the fundraiser,” says Walker. All donations will go to the Terry Fox Foundation for cancer research.
“It’s the largest fundraiser for cancer research in Canada.”
The event will be family oriented. Runners can expect to engage in some fun warm-up activities and feel assured there will be water stations. There will be a post run barbecue.
Participants can expect to run a 3 km loop that will commence at the MHC main entrance at 10:30 a.m. They will journey along the Sunrise Rotary Trail, around the college campus and beside the Cultural Centre pool before returning to the MHC entrance.
Walker recommends participants show up at 10 a.m. as there will be chances to listen to elected officials talk and engage in the warm-ups. There will be shirts to buy and tattoos for kids.
People are free to do the run (or walk) at their own pace, be it on foot, bicycle, roller blades or wheelchair.
“Terry Fox didn’t want (it) to be a competitive run,” explains Walker.
There will be games such as giant Jenga and a parachute provided by the Medicine Hat Public Library, a bubble machine along with food donated by Co-op. Tables and chair will be provided by MHC.
“They’re quite proud to be involved with this,” says Walker. The Rattlers Athletics teams are also expected to participate as well.
People can donate or register to participate at run.terryfox.ca/28556. It is also possible to register at 9 a.m. on the morning of the run. Updates can also be found on the Facebook event page.
“Cancer has touched so many people’s lives,” says Walker on the importance on fundraising efforts and initiatives. “It’s just such a terrible disease that affects so many people.”
