Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 21/05) - Whether or not Yellowknife or Edmonton is declared the official winner in the Terry Fox Run participation challenge is still up in the air.

But preliminary numbers indicate Edmonton may inch out Yellowknife.

Regardless of the outcome, Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem says everyone is a winner when it comes to fundraising for a worthy cause.

"Either way it goes, the foundation is winning because of the increased participation and the increased coverage and knowledge about the run," Van Tighem says.

The City of Yellowknife challenged Mayor Stephen Mandel and the City of Edmonton to see which city recorded the largest increase in participation for the annual Terry Fox Run.

The winning mayor spends a fun-filled active day in the other's city.

According to Van Tighem, Yellowknife had 342 participants and raised $39,900 in 2004, compared to 600 participants and $50,000 raised this year.

In Edmonton, 450 participated last year raising $71,000 while, this year, 1,052 joined in on the run to raise $150,000.

NWT Commissioner Tony Whitford was one of the many participants for whom the run had a special significance.

"My wife died of breast cancer and I think that the research and treatments going on today are largely a result of the efforts by people in the run," Whitford.

"Over all those years, my wife and I always contributed in some way to that.

"I know that there isn't a person in this town that doesn't have a friend or a relative or loved one that isn't affected by it.

"It's the least I can do to help when I can," Whitford said.

Students, teachers take part

Schools in Yellowknife also supported the run, either through moments of silence, by creating artwork or fundraising. St. Patrick high school raised $3,844.61 for the foundation.

Various challenges at the school saw vice principal Todd Stewart have his head shaved in a Mohawk style and several teachers had their noses pierced.

At Range Lake North school, $550 was raised by students, said event co-ordinator Toni Auge.

Children such as John Drewry said Fox was known for raising money for cancer.

"And I went to the run," Drewry said.

Another student, Matthew Szarkowicz said he knew Fox had an artificial leg but still ran for cancer.

"I went to the run, too," Szarkowicz said.

"He wanted to raise money, but only made it to Thunder Bay," primary student Dylan Martin-Elson said.

Across Canada, 3.4 million students from 10,000 schools across Canada participated in the national School Run Day on Sept. 16.

More than six million people worldwide were expected to participate in the 25th annual Terry Fox Run.