Don't forget Terry Fox Run Sunday

Businesses support run

“Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue.  It’s got to keep going without me.” - Terry Fox

Although Terry Fox couldn’t finish his run, the Marathon of Hope has continued, in small communities and urban centres across Canada and around the world.

It brings people together with a common goal — the search for a cure to cancer.

The federal government has recently committed to investing up to $150 million over five years, to fund cancer research and treatments. 

Terry Fox started his run in St. John’s NL, April 12, 1980, and ran a marathon a day for 143 days, a total of 5,373 kilometres, before being forced to stop. Cancer had returned, this time in his lungs.

More than $750 million has been raised by the Terry Fox Foundation through its campaign of community and school runs.

This weekend, local businesses are getting involved to ensure the 39th run is successful in NOTL.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, local students will be located at both Phil’s valu-mart in Virgil and Hendriks valu-mart on Queen Street, as well as the Mary Street and Virgil Avondale stores, collecting donations.

The Queenston and St. Davids golf courses will donate $1 from every green fee Saturday and Sunday to the Terry Fox Foundation.

On Sunday, Sept 15, the day of the run, both Sunset Grill and Stagecoach restaurants on Queen Street will donate the proceeds from their pancake sales.

Also, Grape Escape Wine Tours, on Niagara Stone Road in Virgil, will be taking donations from their bike and wine tours.

The NOTL Kinsmen will be having their annual bike and wine tour, and will donate the proceeds to the Terry Fox Foundation. They will be going to Wayne Gretzky Estates, Pillitteri Estates Winery, Caroline Cellars and Rancourt Winery.

Organizer Joan King will be selling Terry Fox Run T-shirts at Simcoe Park the morning of the run, for $20 each.

Ice cream from Cows will be available for sale in the park, as will pizza from the Sandtrap Pub and Grill.

Burgers and hot dogs, provided by both valu-marts, will also be available, barbecued by the Lewiston-NOTL Rotary Club.

Water will be available at no cost, Tim Hortons will have coffee, tea, cookies and doughnuts, and there will be fruit from Walker’s Farms.

The Town has posted a video on notl.org, which gives an overview of the history of the run, and the beauty of the local route, beginning and ending at Simcoe Park.

“It’s called a run, because that’s what Terry did,” running a marathon a day for 143 days, says King, “but the majority taking part enjoy a five-kilometre walk.”

Millions of Canadians have joined in the run, she adds, and have helped to keep the “Marathon of Hope, and Terry’s vision of a world without cancer, alive in Niagara-on-the-Lake.”

Registration begins at Simcoe Park at 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. The five-kilometre run begins at 10 a.m.