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Mayors' challenge new for 35th Terry Fox Run

Terrace mayor Carol Leclerc has issued her own challenge to regional mayors to raise $1 per person in their communities
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Last year's 34th annual Terry Fox Run saw a record number of participants

Terrace mayor Carol Leclerc is joining the Terry Fox Mayors’ Challenge and challenging regional mayors to do the same.

This year marks 35 years since Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research after he lost a leg to the disease.

Unfortunately, he had to quit when the cancer returned and he later died.

The mayors of his hometown – Richard Stewart (Coquitlam), Mike Clay (Port Moody) Greg Moore (Port Coquitlam) – challenged other mayors and communities to raise $1 for each resident. Here in Terrace that would raise $12,000.

Leclerc challenged Prince Rupert mayor Lee Brain, Kitimat mayor Philip Germuth, Port Edward mayor Dave MacDonald, Smithers mayor Taylor Bachrach, Hazelton mayor Alice Maitland and New Hazelton mayor Gail Lowry at the Terrace city council August 24 meeting.

Leclerc and council won’t be in the run as the Union of BC Municipalities conference is that weekend but Leclerc did already make a donation of $25 by going to the city’s leisure services office and filling out a form.

And residents should donate to the run for a very good reason.

If you have cancer, B.C. is the best province to have cancer [because] there’s so much research gone into it here in B.C. because of Terry Fox,” she said.

Local run organizer Kim MacDougall said the other new addition this year is a change of route to make it easier to follow and more visible because of the “sea of people” walking or running the course.

And the new route along the Millennium Trail will have options for how far participants want to go.

This is the nice flexible part: turning around where you want,” she said.

Usually the run was 5 km or 10 km, this year there will be a sign at the 2.5 km mark so people know where to turn around for a 5 km run and the end at Frank Street will be marked as 3.3 km, making 6.6 km the longest distance unless runners want to do the 5 km twice to get 10 km, she said.

I expect it to be a little bit busier,” said MacDougall, “and hoping more people show up and donate.”

For those who want to donate but won’t be able to come out to the run, donations can be made at the sportsplex leisure services office or at any city office, she said.

Or they can donate in the week after the run or donate online.

Before the run, online pledges to runners can be made or runners can register online and then ask friends to pledge them.

Terry Fox’s dream was $1 from every person in Canada,” said MacDougall, adding organizers here will try to raise $12,000 since the city has 12,000 residents.

Volunteers get snazzy bright green t-shirts this year and 35th anniversary shirts and vintage ones will be available to buy.

A draw will be made for a trip for two anywhere Hawkair flies.

The Terry Fox Run is this Sunday, September 20.

Registration starts at 12:30 p.m. at the George Little House. Run starts at 1 p.m. and goes along the Grand Trunk Pathway. For more information, please call the Terrace Sportsplex at 250-615-3000.