Flag raising at City Hall kick-starts Sunday's Terry Fox Run festivities

Barrie’s City Hall will raise the Terry Fox flag Thursday morning in advance of the Terry Fox Run Sunday.

This year’s run will be dedicated to the memory of Will Dwyer, Barrie’s million dollar man, who raised $1.2 million for the Terry Fox run over his lifetime.

Dwyer died in May but his legacy lives on in a park named after him near Centennial Beach Park. 

"His son Robert will dedicate the run in Will's memory," said Marilyn Nigro, chairwoman of the Barrie Terry Fox committee.

Barrie is $158,000 shy of reaching its $3-million donation mark during the past 42 years and hopes to reach that goal this year.

"It's one dollar for every person in Barrie," said Nigro.

The Terry Fox Run has taken place virtually for the past few years, with participants encouraged to complete their challenge independently due to COVID-19.

For the first time since 2019, the event will be held in person, uniting neighbourhoods and schools across Canada as they participate in the 2022 Terry Fox Run.

Participation this year is at an all-time high, with approximately four million Canadians expected to participate in the Terry Fox Run either with their local community or at school.

This annual fundraiser carries on Terry’s dream of raising critical funds for cancer research in Canada.

• Now in its 42nd year, the Terry Fox Run has evolved into the largest fundraising event in support of cancer research in the world, with events taking place in 33 countries and five continents annually and has raised more than $850 million dollars.
• The Terry Fox School Run will also occur in schools and communities across Canada on September 23, with more than 9,000 schools and over three million students participating.
• Everyone is welcome to participate in this classic Canadian tradition and there are no barriers to join and fundraise - you can walk, run, blade or wheel in the Terry Fox Run.
• The Terry Fox Foundation is dependent on the generosity of its volunteers and supporters and is grateful to the more than 20,000 volunteers across Canada.