Terry Fox Run set for Sunday

Everybody knows his name and everyone has heard of the annual charity event that takes place in his honour. Everybody knows about cancer, the disease that first took his leg and gave him a reason to run an incredible distance before it eventually took his life.

But not everybody participates every year in the Terry Fox Run. Local organizer Alan Luck is no stranger to the struggle for public consistency.

“I’ve been asked that question before,” he began, answering why it’s so hard to keep interest high. “I don’t know how to explain it.”

He said that the world is a different place and charity events have to battle it out with each other to vie for supporters.

“I think what happens now is that there’s so much competition with other events and the marketing machines of the other events almost inundate the Terry Fox Run to the point where people know it’s happening but there’s so much competition from other events that I think people are just making choices. They can’t do it all.”

However, he says the public shouldn’t have to rely on big ad campaigns to remember that this one event takes place without fail every year.

“They don’t use any of the money, or they use very little of the funds that come in, for marketing and advertising and therefore you don’t really hear about it too much.

“I think Terry Fox’s story is so captivating, it really has a life of its own. It continues to go on. I think the people who continue to support the Terry Fox Run are just relentless in their support for that story. The Terry Fox Run, I think, separates itself from a lot of other events in that it’s still really a grassroots event.”

Still, Luck remains optimistic about this weekend’s event despite a long-term gradual decline in participation and fundraising returns. Over the last few years, Luck said that between 175 and 200 people have taken in the event. There were 300 people who brought in more than $15,000 in 2008.

“I’m not disappointed or frustrated. Everybody that shows up, you still get those same goosebumps going. You listen to the stories … a lot of people that come typically bring their own little Terry Fox stories to the run.”

In an effort to encourage people to offer their support, Terry Fox’s brother, Fred, has been touring the country. He has been speaking to public gatherings and the media to send his message as loudly as possible.

“After 32 years, it’s probably the longest running event of its kind in Canada,” he stated. “Hopefully people will still come out for the same reasons that Terry started his run in 1980: he was touched by cancer and we all will be in one way or another.”

He added that the Terry Fox Run does things a little bit differently by not having minimum donations, entry fees or incentive prizes for various pledge levels.

To sweeten the pot, Luck added that there would be a pie raffle.

“We’re going to have some homemade pies baked … so if anyone wants to donate any homemade cooking and stuff, we’ll raffle them off and raise a few extra bucks.”