Students at Sigurbjorg Stefansson Early School in Gimli rallied to the cancer cause on Sept. 25 with a school-wide fundraising drive called Toonies for Terry and a walk around the Vesturland neighbourhood.
Students in kindergarten to Grade 4 raised a total of $319.55 for the Terry Fox Foundation.
SSES assistant principal Krystal Isfeld said every year the students help raise money for cancer research and services for cancer patients.
“Our school has been here for 22 years and we’ve been doing the Terry Fox fundraiser every year,” said Isfeld.
Students were given stickers onto which they could write the names of those for whom they were walking, such as a parent, other relative, a friend or Terry Fox himself.
Before the walk commenced, students gathered in the gymnasium where physical education teacher Joe Haycock spoke about the importance of raising money for cancer research and hopefully finding a cure, as well as SSES’ history of supporting the cancer research cause.
“This is 22nd time we’ve participated in a walk for Terry Fox, minus the COVID years, and this is the 44th year that it has been on. Last year our school raised $442 which we donated to the Terry Fox Foundation,” said Haycock, who organized the walk and led the grades 1 to 4 students around the Vesturland neighbourhood, along with the students’ teachers.
“The kindergarten students are doing a walk around the school yard as walking on the streets can be taxing for the little ones,” he said.
Hundreds of communities across Canada take to the streets each year to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. The money is put towards cancer research and improved diagnosis and treatment. Terry Fox, who grew up in B.C., had to have his leg amputated from cancer. He organized a cross-Canada run called the Marathon of Hope in 1980 to raise money for cancer research. He died in 1981.
SSES principal Paul Bailey, who took part in the walk, said the students have an idea of who Terry Fox was and how he raised awareness of the importance of cancer research.
“The teachers talk to the kids about Terry Fox before the walk. And the kids chose someone to walk for such as a relative or Terry Fox himself,” said Bailey. “All the kids have an idea who Terry Fox is, his story and his passing away. We teach them the importance of Terry’s story and why we walk, which is to try to find a cure for cancer. All this information is geared towards their ages, but they certainly understand what it’s about.”
Bailey said the students don’t go out fundraising or ask for sponsors as they’re too young for that. But they do collect a Toonie, or whatever they can, to donate to the foundation.
Express Photos by Patricia Barrett
