Last Sunday, Cedarbrook Park was once again the host of this year’s Scarborough Terry Fox Run. The turnout managed to exceed expectations — this year.
Over the last 32 years, the Scarborough location has raised over $479,000, according to head organizer Ken Pearson. But for the past 15 years, Pearson has seen a plateauing in funds.
“The only time you get a big increase is when it’s a big event such as the 25th or 30th anniversary,” Pearson said. “We live in Scarborough with so many people, so it’s pretty hard to reach them all with no funds and no sponsors. It’s just us.”
Pearson also said the schools tend to do better with fundraising because there are so many of them, and the kids “do better at raising money.”
Pearson said it’s not just money that’s stagnating, it is staff too. No one seems to want to take over the leading roles.
We haven’t got too many young people involved who are willing to take over. We need new blood.
— Ken Pearson
Publicist for the Scarborough run, Verla Fiveash, attempts to raise awareness and attract the younger crowd by hosting a garden party every spring. Fiveash has been a volunteer since 1982.
“[At the garden party] we have people come and raise money by dying their hair or shaving their heads,” she said.
According to Fiveash, while the fundraising may have leveled off in the last few years, this year was better than the year prior in terms of attendance.
“Last year we were down quite a few people because we couldn’t have the run in Cedarbrook Park,” Fiveash said. “We had to have it at Morningside last year, and people had a hard time finding us. But this year we’re having a great turnout.”
Even a group of Centennial College students came out to participate. But the team of six from the Centre of Science and Technology on Morningside Avenue were only some of the many who took part in the five-kilometre run around the park.
“This is our second year and we have raised over $200,” student Violetta Krantsevich said.
“It’s for a great cause,” another student, Gavin Cross, said. “I’m sure we all have a connection to cancer.”
