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Smithers mayor accepts Terry Fox challenge

Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach has accepted a challenge to raise an average of $1 from each Smithereen for the Terry Fox Run Sept. 20.

Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach has accepted a challenge from Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore to try and raise an average of $1 from each Smithereen.

The Smithers Terry Fox Run goes Sept. 20. Registration is at noon in front of the Central Park Building at Main Street and Highway 16. There is no entry fee for the non-competitive run, which starts at 1 p.m.

Quick also has a Run that day. Its 30th Terry Fox Run starts 1 p.m. at the Old Anglican Church with registration at 12:30.

Terry Fox ran to raise cancer research funds in 1981, much of the time on a prosthetic leg during his own battle with cancer. His run was cut short when the cancer returned. The Port Coquitlam native was able to raise $24 million — or $1 per Canadian at the time.

Mayor Moore is now calling on all Canadians to match that average total, which would be over $35 million today. He specifically challenged mayors to rally their towns to the cause.

“The key thing is going to be getting the word out about the challenge. I plan to put it out on Facebook and challenge all my friends and family to take part and make donations,” said Bachrach, who will take part before flying out later that night to attend the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention in Vancouver.

“In the past Smithers has done really well with the Terry Fox Run and hopefully this year we can crank it up a notch and show the other communities in the Northwest that we can raise money alongside the best of them.”

The Terry Fox Foundation is an independent charity that has funded 1,212 cancer research projects since being founded. It now holds over 9,000 runs each year.

“Last year we had 100 participants and raised $2,500. It would be lovely to see that double,” said Smithers Terry Fox Run co-coordinator Sandra McAulay.

B.C. raised $2.4 million last year. All of the runs are completely volunteer-led said McAulay, who encouraged everyone to come run or walk next Sunday.