More than 500 runners of all ages took advantage of the glorious sunshine at Garry Point Park on Sunday to raise more than $16,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation.
“It went surprisingly well,” said Richmond Terry Fox Run organizer Howard Jampolsky, who was coordinating the event for the first time.
“I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was told by the people who’d been volunteering for a while that, ‘if we build it, they will come.’”
The number of participants and money raised was down from last year’s 800 runners and $24,000 collected.
But, considering the event’s future was in serious doubt in the spring, Jampolsky is looking forward to, perhaps, introducing some new ideas next year.
“I have some interesting things in my head. However, the Terry Fox Run is very structured in terms of corporate sponsorship and I’d like to get some more local companies involved without breaking any rules,” added Jampolsky.
As well as the run itself, registrants were entertained by the Sea Cadet band and a taiko drum group.
And runners enjoyed generous contributions in the form of fruit and snacks from Save-On Foods and Safeway.