Doubling the Marathon of Hope dream at GREC

Julie Druker | Oct 08, 2015

Students at the Granite Ridge Education Centre (GREC) in Sharbot Lake celebrated the 35-year anniversary of Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope by doubling their donations at this year’s annual run, which took place at the school on September 30.

The run, now in its third year, was preceded the week before by a visit to the school from Ms. Ng-A-Mann, who brought with her a replica of Terry's prosthetic leg. This inspired the students to “double the dream” of Terry's wish to have every Canadian donate $1 to cancer research.

Cathy Reynolds, an educational assistant at the school, headed up the event, which began in the school’s back courtyard where two young cancer survivors who attend GREC, grade three student Kylie Babcock and grade six student Dylan Walker, helped to show their fellow students how their donations can make a difference. Dylan spoke fondly about Terry Fox, whom he called one of his “super heroes” and who he said “has shown how every single person can make a difference.”

The two students were invited to draw the winning tickets for two prizes, the first a Terry Fox Foundation t-shirt and the second, two free passes to the Museum of History in Ottawa and special Terry Fox display there. School mascot Grif the Gryphon, Vice-principal James MacDonald and Reynolds joined the two students and spoke about the Marathon of Hope National School Day Run, a fundraiser that takes place in schools across Canada. Over $675 million has been raised in Fox's name for cancer research, 84% of which has gone directly to cancer research.

These kinds of events always have their special moments and one young student said that she would be donating her toonie, probably the following day once she receives the funds from the tooth fairy. Vice-principal McDonald said the event underlines the character traits that Terry Fox possessed, and which the students at the school are encouraged to emulate. They include grit, perseverance, humility empathy and determination. “Terry was all of that wrapped into one”, Reynolds said.

Following the assembly the students set off on the walk/run, which took them on a route around the school and village. By the end of the day over $600 was raised for cancer research.