6yr old Top Fundraiser at Manitouwadge’s Terry Fox Run
Volunteers Alexia Dubois (left) and Suzanne Matteson (Manitouwadge Run Organizer) work at tallying incoming pledge sheets. OntarioNewsNorth.com
6yr old Emeraude Charron, Manitouwadge's top raiser for 2011 with her freshly printed pledge sheet Saturday, September 17th. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com
MANITOUWADGE, ON– Sunday, September 18th the Annual Terry Fox Run was held in communities across Canada; included in these of course were many, Northshore and Greenstone towns.
Residents in Northwestern Ontario have long felt a special connection to Terry Fox. The monument marking the place where, the spread of his cancer forced him to end his quest after 143 days (5,373 kilometres), is a landmark that most residents from the Northshore and Greenstone regions, have at one time or another in their life, stopped to visit and read the plaques which share highlights of Terry’s life, journey and dream.
Though cancer ultimately cost Terry his life, his efforts during the Marathon of Hope resulted in a lasting, worldwide legacy. The annual Terry Fox Run, first held in 1981, has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world’s largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research; over $500 million (cdn) has been raised in his name.
Among those at Sunday’s event in Manitouwadge was 6 year old Emeraude Charron. Charron, whose mother says has long been inspired by and had a keen interest in Terry Fox’s story since the first time she visited his monument as a toddler. she participated in her first Terry Fox Run just two years ago, then four years old Charron had set a lofty goal of reaching $1000; her mother, Karina, admitted that the child likely hadn’t quite understood the magnitude of the number. None the less she successfully reached her goal raising $1112, more than all other participants at the town’s 2009 Terry Fox Run combined.
Emeraude Charron ready to hand in the funds she collected, $231 total from generous family members, friends and strangers in Manitouwadge. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com
2011 would have Charron once again setting a lofty goal; she had unfortunately not become aware of the Run until a few day earlier in the week. Saturday, with time to fundraise having run out, her mother checked in to Emeraude’s page at www.TerryFoxRun.org created in 2009 when she first participated and helped her register for the run which would take place the following day. A pledge sheet was printed and Emeraude set a goal of raising $200; “I thought it seemed a little high considering it was already the middle of the afternoon but I did not want to dampen her enthusiasm and so agreed that $200 sounded great”.
Emeraude canvassed family members first, her Grandmother and Godmother who each encouraged her with generous pledges, before continuing in her collection knocking on doors around the neigbourhood. A few hours later she had reached $98 and so sponsored herself with a toonie to reach her 1/2 way mark before stopping for supper.
After supper it was her father who accompanied her for another 90 minutes of canvassing, when she checked in with her Mom at that point she was $13 away from reaching her goal. Charron shared the details of her day with the neighbour at whose door she had next knocked – she squealed with excitement when her mother explained that the $20 pledge given by their neighbour had put her over her goal, she had done it! There were a few more donations that rolled in as Emeraude called it a night, realizing that the following day’s run would arrive in the blink of an eye.
Left to right Volunteers at the Manitouwadge Terry Fox Run September 18, 2011 Trisha Chartier, Alexia Dubois and Organizer Suzanne Matteson. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com
Sunday, Emeraude accompanied again by her Mom, attended the Terry Fox Run where Manitouwadge organizer Suzanne Matteson explained that she had raised the most of any of the registered participants. Matteson’s volunteer assistant, Alexia Dubois tallied the donations to announce that a total of just over $400 had been raised by those participating in Manitouwadge’s community run with $231 of it having been raised by young Charron. Congratulations to all those who took part keeping Terry’s dream alive.
Keep reading OntarioNewsNorth.com as we are currently waiting for official totals for Northshore & Greenstone communities which held Terry Fox Run’s Sunday from the Terry Fox Foundation; if you have photos or video from the event in your community, send them to Editor@OntarioNewsnorth.com.
- SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2011 (next Wednesday) Schools in the Superior-Greenstone DSB and Superior North Catholic DSBs are participating in the Terry Fox Run School Day, contact your child’s school for more information.
**In past years Manitouwadge has been a succesful event site, raising large amounts usually in the thousands; unfortunately this year’s event was lacking promotion as a clerical error meant OntarioNewsNorth.com did not receive it’s usual media package from the Terry Fox Foundation and so was not able to show it’s usual support in terms of free advertising in the weeks leading up to the event and this was reflected in attendance numbers. None the less, the few who did participate were enthusiastic and greatful for the cooperating weather.
