A contingent of 18 Osoyoos Coyotes boosted participation in last year’s Osoyoos Terry Fox Run. Team owner Randy Bedard said players have been told the event is an annual commitment. This year’s run in Osoyoos has been moved to Friday afternoon. (Dan Walton file photo)
This year’s Terry Fox Run in Osoyoos will be taking place Friday instead of the usual Sunday in an effort to encourage more participants.
The run starts at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15 from the Sonora Community Centre. Registration is at 4:30 p.m.
The run is named for Terry Fox, who set out to run a marathon a day, attempting to cross Canada in 1980 after losing a leg to bone cancer. Fox had to end his run near Thunder Bay, Ontario, after the cancer returned. He died on June 28, 1981.
The annual run to raise money for cancer research began in 1981 and has been held in more than 60 countries worldwide.
The Terry Fox Run is held the second Sunday after Labour Day in most of the more than 9,000 communities across Canada, but this year Osoyoos is bumping it up two days.
“We asked and received permission from the Terry Fox Foundation to change the date simply because we find we don’t get a lot of people coming out on the Sunday,” said Sarah Dynneson, program supervisor with the Town of Osoyoos, which organizes the event locally.
Dynneson said the Sunday conflicts with other local activities such as the Rock Creek Fall Fair, church and the start of activities like minor hockey and dance.
“We’re going to give it a try and see if it works,” she said.
Otherwise, the event follows the same format as previous years.
There are choices of two, five and 10-kilometre runs and it’s open to all ages.
In fact, you don’t have to run – the Terry Fox Foundation suggests you can also walk, ride or roller blade.
There is no registration fee or minimum donation, but participants are asked to fundraise or make a donation.
The Terry Fox Foundation devotes the money it raises to cancer research.
Dynneson said most people in Osoyoos just make a donation, but seeking sponsorships is an option.
This year’s route will be the same as in previous years with participants leaving the Sonora Centre and following Highway 3 east before going down Lakeshore Drive and returning.
Dynneson said participation has only reached about 20 people in recent years, except when the Osoyoos Coyotes have participated and numbers have been higher. Last year, with Coyotes’ participation, there were 33 people doing the run.
Randy Bedard, owner of the hockey team, said the players have been told the Terry Fox Run is an annual commitment.
The town has been organizing the event since 2012, when they took it over from Osoyoos residents Sy and Anne Murseli.
“He asked for the town to keep the event going,” said Dynneson. “Because it is a relatively straightforward event, we agreed to keep supporting the run.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
