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Terry Fox Run numbers down

The 34th annual Terry Fox Run raised $16,497 despite low turnout.

The weather was beautiful, but the numbers were down at the Terry Fox Run on Sunday.

The Maple Ridge event had 427 participants,  plus 90 volunteers at the Hammond Community Centre for the 34th annual run. That’s down from 658 participants last year.

After talking with some teachers who volunteer with the run, organizer Betty Levens speculated that maybe the reason had to do with students not being in school.

“If those kids had been in school, they would have all seen at least one movie about Terry Fox since they got back. Terry Fox would have been talked about because of the school run and none of that has happened,” said Levens.

Nonetheless, $16,497 was raised, including $1,900 worth of Terry Fox merchandise.

Levens was most impressed with guest speaker, cancer survivor Trina Munday.

“It was enthralling just to stand there and listen to her and see everyone else not moving,” Levens said, adding there wasn’t a sound while Munday was speaking.

Next year, Ali Wakeling will be taking over as organizer, but Levens won’t be far.

“I’ll still be there next year, don’t worry. But I am not going to do all the paper work.”