BY BILL PHILLIPS
It’s been 40 years since Terry Fox trained for his Marathon of Hope right here in Prince George.
The annual Terry Fox Run in the city is part of Terry Fox’s legacy, however the run may be in jeopardy in the city this year as the run is in need of a lead organizer.
“I thought, for sure, we would be able to find someone to step up,” said Scott McWalter, who has been the lead organizer for the past five years but decided to step down from the role earlier this year. “So far, there’s been no one.”
He said he is more than willing to make the transition to a new lead organizer as easy as possible, for anyone willing to take on the job.
“I’m still going to be involved this,” he said. “However, my successor is, I’m going hold their hand through the process and make sure it’s a successful event, the transition’s easy and that they still have all the contacts and vendors in place.”
The annual run draws hundreds of participants who run, walk, and ride in memory of Terry Fox to help support a wonderful cause and the on-going efforts to find a cure for cancer by supporting The Terry Fox Foundation.
McWalter says the role does take a bit of work. He estimates maybe 100 hours of someone’s time leading up to the September event. However, time is critical as work on organizing the run needs to get underway now.
McWalter said after organizing the run for the past five years, it’s time for him to step away from the role.
“Somebody new has to come in, somebody fresh, bringing innovative ideas to the table and really help this event continue to grow,” he said.
McWalter has been successful seeing the run grow in terms of numbers and wants to see that continue.
“I also know Terry Fox’s legacy in this community is like no other community,” he said. “Prince George has played large role in Terry Fox’s history and my main hope is that can continue with a new lead organizer for the fundraiser.”
If anyone is interested in taking on the lead organizer role, they should contact Donna White, the provincial director for the Terry Fox Foundation. Her phone number is 604-464-2666.