Organizers of the 33rd annual Terry Fox Runs in the Tri-Cities - and across the country - are hailing Sunday's events as a success.
Participation and fundraising for cancer research in the name of the late Port Coquitlam hero were up overall, said BC/Yukon director Donna White. The increase was mostly down to the weather, she said.
"There was no rain and that plays a big part," she said. "We also had great promotion and organization."
At the Hometown Run in PoCo, some 3,000 people came out walk, run and cycle, and to hear words of encouragement from Fox's father, Rolly.
Run co-ordinator Dave Teixeira said about $50,000 was collected on the day, on par with the 2012 event.
Coquitlam co-chair Mark Pettie told The Tri-City News some 600 participants joined in and listened to Fox's sister, Judi Fox-Alder, who is international director for the Terry Fox Foundation, and to cancer survivor Selina Robinson, the MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville. The event took in at least $14,000 for the cause.
"We did very, very well," said Pettie, who arranged the Fox Run for the first time with Richard Rainey. "We were happy with how things turned out."
In Port Moody, where the 300 participants enjoyed the scenic route around Rocky Point Park, Mayor Mike Clay and Terri Towner said $9,300 in donations came in, also up from last year.
And in the village of Anmore, 60 attendees made the trek from Spirit Park - again, a rise from previous years, said organizer Gord Bytelaar, who got the run off the ground in under three weeks; it raised $1,225 for the foundation.
Meanwhile, the charity is gearing up for two more national fundraisers this month: Terry's Cause on Campus (happening at Fox's alma mater of SFU) on Sept. 24 and the school runs two days later. The school runs collect 60% of the foundation's annual revenues, White said.
To hear Fox's brother Fred promote the National School Run Day, visit youtube.com/watch?v=MAwZRTpCHJ4.
