LAC LA BICHE - Every year in September, schools across Canada host Terry Fox events to help raise money for cancer research.
On Friday, Sept. 20, the last full day of the year's summer season, students and staff at Aurora Middle School in Lac La Biche laced up their running and walking shoes to participate in the school’s annual Terry Fox Run.
School principal Carolina Franke says the school has a fundraising page set up through the Terry Fox Foundation and, in the weeks leading up to the event, students have been getting their families to donate.
Taking part in annual Terry Fox Run, Franke continued, is good for students because many have had experience with cancer, especially loved ones who’ve been afflicted by it. It’s also a worthwhile cause for them to support.
“A lot of our students have had experience with cancer, so they have a personal connection, you know, with family members and things like that,” she told Lakeland This Week. “It’s always good for students to have a cause and to feel like they’re contributing…it’s good for their mental health…it’s good for their growth.”
Year-round donations
The Terry Fox organization has devoted a lot of attention to school run programs across the country, offering a series of online resources to help communities, schools, teacher, parents and students learn more about the Terry Fox organization and the fight against cancer. Hundreds of schools across Canada are registered on the site, including the Lac La Biche middle school, which is one of nine schools across Canada listed under the search name Aurora.
More details about the school run program, the Terry Fox, and ways to donate to the global cause can be found at the Terry Fox website.