On Sunday, the Terry Fox Run took place in downtown Thorold once again. This year saw an influx of new participants who felt inspired to put on their running shoes and raise money for cancer research.
“It was a great success,” organizer Cindy Dickson tells ThoroldToday. “There was a bunch of new people that really got engaged and bought t-shirts and stayed and had hot dogs after. They seemed like they really enjoyed it. It was a beautiful day. We had a very good turnout."
This was the second year the run happened in-person again, and Dickson says it was really special to be able to complete the trajectory as a group.
“It was wonderful,” she says. “Some people were biking, some were on scooters, some were running, some people were walking—it was whatever you wanted to do.”
So far the event has raised $11,640 for cancer research but Dickson is still accepting donations.
“I am at about $6,240 plus another $5,400 from Team Candace which is my daughter’s team,” says Dickson. “The highest amount Candace has ever raised is in the high three-thousands so we’re really blown away with that.”
Dickson’s daughter Candace survived acute leukemia eight years ago and has been participating in the run ever since.
“Every year that she’s here with us is a gift,” says Dickson.
According to Dickson, the event wouldn’t be a success without the people who participate every year.
“We have our major fundraisers who are always involved in the run,” she says. “We have Ray Phillip who was up in the high threes, 3700 [dollars]. Also our great friend Shirley Pheal who goes door to door still. She’s 80 years old and she brought in 800 dollars.”
Dickson says she enjoys volunteering her time to organize the run every year.
"I started working on it in early July," she says. "Run day we had everything here and we were ready to go. It went really smooth. It isn’t a lot of stress. It’s actually a privilege to do it."
This was the second year the run took off from the Thorold Community Credit Union.
“We got to walk straight through downtown and people were stopping and cheering us on,” says Dickson. “It was good. I like starting from downtown. We had a barbecue. It was a great venue.”
Even though the run is over Dickson is still accepting donations.
“People are still bringing in dribbles and drabs,” she says. “They can stop in at the Credit Union still. It’s not too late. I haven’t send it out yet so they can still come in if they missed it.”
