Disappointment wracked last year's Lake Cowichan Terry Fox Run. With no one coming forward to organize the event, it had to be cancelled.
Local schools participated in their own Terry Fox runs, with the public run remaining a no-go.
"The last was in 2009, and $700 was raised," Terry Fox Foundation media representative Brenna Duperron said. The 2009 run had 12 participants and two organizers heading it. This run came after the previous years' Terry Fox Run hiatus.
The organizers, Sam Brown and Patrick Sumner, came out from Duncan to take on the run, as there were no Cowichan Lake residents interested in organizing the event.
The event isn't hard to put on, Duperron encourages.
"You need at least one organizer. Two would be a good idea," she said, adding that people should sign up as soon as possible, to get moving on organization of the event early-on. “A small group of people can make a difference.”
This year's Terry Fox Run is to take place Sunday, September 18.
The Terry Fox Run began over 30 years ago, with more than 760 sites in Canada and around the world, attracting 300,000 participants and raising 3.5 million.
Terry Fox Runs have been taking place across Canada since 1981 in honour of British Columbian Terry Fox, who embarked on a cross-Canada Cancer fund-raiser on only one leg, with his other amputated due to cancer.
He didn’t make it across Canada, due to a relapse of the disease, dying in June of 1981.
The run is now international, with several countries other than Canada taking up the Terry Fox Run.
Those interested in organizing a Terry Fox Run in Lake Cowichan can call the Terry Fox Foundation at 1-888-836-9786 or e-mail bcadmin@terryfoxrun.org.
For more information on the run, go to their website, www.terryfox.org.
This year's run will the the 31st annual.