On Sept. 27, Lake Cowichan Secondary and Palsson Elementary collaborated their efforts to participate in the last Terry Fox Run of the season in the Cowichan Lake area.
The run started at LCSS with students watching a movie about Terry Fox and his legacy, put together by Matthew Kercher, and participating in a warm up led by Alex Mizak and Crystal Charles.
Students ran a loop that circled from the high school to the old A.B. Greenwell school building, down the Trans Canada Trail, across South Shore Road to Palsson Elementary where they were greeted and cheered on by students and staff, over to the Duck Pond, across the trestle, and along South Shore Road once again to end up back at the school.
The senior students at Palsson Elementary followed LCSS students to the Duck Pond and circled back to Palsson.
Leadership students from LCSS helped to ensure student safety by manning crosswalks throughout town and cheered on runners by giving them a high five and some encouragement as they passed by.
Leadership students also managed the distribution of juice and cookies at the high school, all of which were donated by Country Grocer.
“The treats at the end of the run made everyone’s day, including mine,” said LCSS principal Nicole Boucher.
Boucher took part in the run and says that it was great to get out and run with students.
“I feel that it is important for schools to take part in the Terry Fox Run because he was such an inspirational young person who showed the country and the world that you can take on something so much bigger than yourself in the service of others and make a difference. He also showed all of us that there is no challenge to small and that you can be unyielding in your drive even in the face of tremendous pain and adversity. It is astonishing to me that anyone could run the equivalent of a marathon a day for 143 consecutive days,” said Boucher.
She was also impressed with student participation.
“I think that the kids did a great job. From the Leadership students who were at every junction giving all students high fives, to every student who took part. Everyone took it seriously and did a great job.”
Her highlights from the day were the huge group of staff and students that stood at the finish line and cheered on every last student, the smiling faces of Palsson Elementary students, and the fun, music filled lunch that took place at the school after the run.
Palsson parents put on a pancake breakfast for students after their run and after having some time to play in the playground, students ate their specially made breakfast with their peers in their classrooms.
The grill for the pancake breakfast was donated by the Appollos Tournament and Mayor Ross Forrest.