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Bad weather relents just in time for 39th annual Penticton Terry Fox Run

The early morning drizzle and December-like darkness certainly tempered the crowd numbers a wee bit, but yesterday's Penticton Terry Fox Run would ultimately unfold under generally dry skies and in the end raised almost $7,000 for cancer research.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

It was a drop of just a couple hundred dollars from 2018 - an event that benefitted from much warmer temperatures and summery blue skies. Given the year to year environmental misfortunes, run organizer Kevin Harvey was pleased as punch with the results.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Run organizer Kevin Harvey

"It was a slow start with the rain," he said yesterday as the runners and walkers made their way around the slightly re-jigged course, "but registration picked up by the end. We have over 200 people out here today, and for a day that started like it did, that's really good."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

Harvey's an upbeat guy who took over the Terry Fox reins in 2017 when it looked like the event was on shaky ground. And yesterday at the finish line, he was all about hope.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Veteran race announcer Dave Bullock at the mic

"People ask why I do this, and I think well, why not. Terry Fox is a Canadian hero, so why wouldn't you want to be involved in something like that?"<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"They called it the Marathon of Hope, and that's all I think people want these days is a little bit of hope. Especially when you know someone who's been diagnosed with cancer or you've been diagnosed yourself. It's a scary time. You just need a little bit of hope."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

Harvey also revealed that this year's event was the beneficiary of a $1,000 donation. "It was incredibly generous," he said. "We have donations today all the way from 25 cents to a thousand dollars and they're all important."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

South Okanagan--West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings trekked the distance yesterday, as did former Penticton mayor Andrew Jackubeit. And a guy by the name of Al Haycroft stood on the west side of Penticton dam, directing Cannings and Jackubeit and 200 others and making sure everything ran smoothly on the revamped layout.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who> Richard Cannings on the Penticton dam

"I work with Kevin (Harvey), and we always like to help each other out," he explained. "He started doing this three years ago and I joined up right away."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"It's excellent today. My mother is a cancer survivor, so it makes me feel good to be here."

Troy Pinsonneault of Kaleden had a couple of reasons for participating.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

"Terry was a contemporary of mine," he said while walking the final stretch. "He was a little before my time, but I was of an age to remember him and the Marathon of Hope. I remember the whole story. It was inspiring."

"And my father in law passed away from cancer earlier this year. That's probably the biggest reason I'm here. It's been great to see people today I hadn't seen in awhile, and it was good to support my mother-in-law."

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

Later, as the music played at the finish line and noted local race announcer Dave Bullock called the names of each participant as they passed by and everyone refueled with Starbucks coffee and goodies from Real Canadian Superstore, the dark dawn seemed very far away indeed.

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>

<who>Photo Credit: NowMedia</who>



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