Airdrie's runners will be pounding the pavement and looping the lake during the annual Terry Fox Run on Sept. 18 at East Lake Regional Park.
For the fist time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the run is able to be held in person this year.
Airdrie resident Kyla Cox has been organizing the event for the past five years, helping to prepare volunteers and participants leading up to the big day and lending a helping hand during the event itself.
She said she has been participating in Terry Fox Runs since she was a student, and leapt at the opportunity to organize an event that holds significance to her and others in the community.
"Cancer hits everyone – either someone you know, or someone close to you has (had) it," she said. "This way, those funds do so many good things for the community, for Canada, and the world.
"[The cause] just hits home and Fox's legacy just needs to keep living on. I think the kids do it through school and it's nice that we can do it as a community to keep it going afterwards, too."
This year's run will be held at East Lake Regional Park with participants gathering at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning near Bert Church High School's football field. Cox added tables and signs will be set up to greet registrants, who can register on the day of the run, or online beforehand.
"There will be a kick-off spot and then we'll do a lap around the late there – it's a two-kilometre loop," she said, adding registration starts at 10 a.m. with the actual run beginning at 11:30 a.m.
According to Cox, it doesn't cost participants anything to participate in the event or to show support to those running or walking. Each registrant can collect donations online or with a pledge sheet.
"There's lots of different ways you can do it, or if anyone just wants to donate to Airdrie in general, they can do it or to a certain person," she said.
She added when participants register online, they can make their own fundraising page and share it through their social media channels.
This year, participants also have the convenience of using debit and credit donations if they so choose.
"So, if you forget your cash or don't have cash nowadays, they can come to the run day and donate there," she said.
Cox added now the run is being held in person again, she hopes to spread the word to community members to participate in the event.
"I think we just want to get as many people back because it's been two years of nothing and we get the same people every year," she said.
"It'll be nice to get those same people and even more this year."
During the pandemic, Cox said the 2020 and 2021 Terry Fox Runs were modified to be hosted online with participants fundraising on their own and going out to walk or run individually.
Despite that, she said 2020's fundraising total was the highest total ever recorded in Airdrie, with the year after totalling $5,000.
"It was nice to see people were still into it," she said. "When I went to the park last year, I could see some people doing it, which is awesome, but I think it'll be nice for people to get back and walk with their friends or their family or just people they've seen every year at the Terry Fox Run."
