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35th annual Terry Fox Run in Fernie

The annual Terry Fox Run took place in Fernie on Sept. 13; this was the 35th year for the event.
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Tanner Hewitt

On Sunday morning, runners and supporters gathered at the Fernie Aquatic Centre for the 35th annual Terry Fox Run.

The run started at 11 a.m. and featured a variety of distances for participants to choose from, including one, five and 10 kilometre distances.

Jennifer Parker organized this year’s event and says that community enjoys the annual run in commemoration of Terry Fox.

“This event is about a Canadian tradition - a tradition that was established before these big sponsored events came to be. The Terry Fox foundation has been so true to their values, it is actually quite shocking. They decline all sponsorship. Runs are completely volunteer run. No monies from events can go to pay for run expenses, therefore all run supplies must be donated. It just seems so amazing that they can continue on like this after all these years,” said Parker.

Parker says that she is seeing families return to participate in the family-friendly event every year. “A sweet babe did his first Terry Fox run last year with us in the Chariot with his parents and they returned this year to run again with him and now, his baby sister; such a sweet tradition in the making,” she said.

The event saw 48 participants run the course, many of them repeat runners from previous years.

“Most of the people I saw in the crowd have been repeat participants over the past few years. I think a lot of them have had a connection to the Terry Fox run and have made it their tradition to attend and were just happy that Fernie was having a run,” said Parker.

Fourteen volunteers helped organize the event and the Elk Valley Hospice set up a photo booth with props for participants. The event raised just over $600 with all proceeds going to the Terry Fox Foundation for cancer research.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Terry Fox’s run across Canada, raising money and awareness for cancer. Sparwood is hosting their community Terry Fox Run on Sept. 20 at 11 a.m. at the Sparwood Leisure Centre.