On Monday, September 28th, a beautiful, sunshine-filled day in Bow Island illuminated the path for students from St. Michael’s School as they joined students from two other local schools for a community Terry Fox Run. This special event was made even more meaningful by the support and presence of our local emergency services.
For the first time in many years, the schools were able to come together and walk at the same time, creating a wonderful sense of community as students and staff made their way along the route with an escort from Bow Island’s emergency services.
At St. Michael’s, their entire school community from Playschool+ through Grade 9 took part. The school set a fundraising goal of $1,500 and were thrilled to see donations reach $2,131 at the time of our most recent check — well beyond the original goal. Donations will remain open for the week, so that total may continue to grow.
Principal Jill Weatherhead said the generosity of the community never fails to impress the staff at St. Michael’s.
“Our staff is always blown away by our community's generosity here at St. Michael's School. Our numbers are small but our hearts are big. Sadly, it seems we are all affected by cancer in some way so this fundraiser allows us to try and make a difference in the lives of those affected by this scary, unpredictable disease. I love the agency, hope, and community spirit this fundraiser gives our students.”
This year also marked an incredible milestone for St. Michael’s: 30 years of Terry Fox fundraising, dating back to 1997. Over those three decades, the school community has raised an astounding $119,973.25 for cancer research.
Juliette Tetrault, Manager of School Runs for the Terry Fox Foundation in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, shared her appreciation for the school’s longstanding commitment.
“Your school has raised $119,973.25 over the years which is truly remarkable for such a small community. You should all be very proud of your hard work in fundraising as these funds truly do make a big difference in cancer research.”
She also recognized the incredible effort of this year’s students and their families.
“I am truly blown away that 54 students can raise $2000! It goes to show the generosity in small communities always stands out.”
For our students, the Terry Fox Run is about much more than reaching a fundraising target. It is an opportunity to learn that even small acts can contribute to something much bigger, and that a small school can make a very big difference!