Running from the one end of Canada to the other was a unique proposition when Terry Fox initiated his Marathon of Hope in 1980. Thirty-one years later, cross-country fundraisers are an almost daily sight on the shoulders of Canada’s summertime highways.
The Post offers this helpful round-up of some of Canada’s 2011 crop of fundraisers cycling, running or hitchhiking for a cause.
A marathon a day for the man who “would never walk again”
In 2006, 33-year-old David McGuire went into a coma following a massive stroke. In May, five years after he was told he would never be able to walk again, Mr. McGuire kicked off the “Run to Remember,” a name which pokes fun at Mr. McGuire’s short-term memory loss. Going from St. John’s to Victoria, Mr. McGuire is fundraising for Braintrust Canada as well as raising awareness of preventable brain injuries.
Each day, amid talks to schoolchildren and community groups, Mr. McGuire completes a 25-mile marathon. Throughout, he has kept his hair short to expose a massive C-shaped scar on the side of his head. Mr. McGuire reached Toronto on Sunday after a run through the Atlantic Provinces.
Camper van crusaders
Ed and Gaye Chicoine, along with their six adult children, are criss-crossing North America in a camper van to spread the gospel of good nutrition and regular exercise. Running relay-style along the route, the family are plodding through a 22,000-kilometre Marathon of Health from coast to coast and then back again through the U.S.
The marathon was originally planned solely for Canada, but the Chicoines added a leg through the United States after realizing that Americans “need more help” with fitness than Canadians. Since their quest began on May 9, the marathon has raised about $10,000 to promote childhood sports — roughly equal to the marathon’s per-month cost. When the Chicoines wrap up the marathon in February, they hope to have raised $5-million.
Read More: Cross-Canada Fundraisers Hit the Road
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