Preserving the legacy
Naujaat, Baker Lake students hold successful Terry Fox runs
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
NAUJAAT/BAKER LAKE
A number of schools across the Kivalliq took part in the annual Terry Fox Run earlier this month.
Cassandra Kripanik gives it all she's got to make it over the hill to the halfway point of the Terry Fox Run in Naujaat earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Julia MacPherson |
Students from Tusarvik School and Tuugaalik High School raised a combined $1,500 for cancer research in Naujaat.
Tuugaalik physical education (PE) teacher Pat McClure organized the event.
McClure said teachers at the high school covered Terry Fox in the days leading up to the run, and a special assembly was held to highlight the Canadian hero.
He said the Naujaat course was set at different lengths depending on the age of the participants, ranging from about one km for the youngest to about six km for the oldest.
"We had about 62 participants from the high school," said McClure.
"During the assembly we talked about who Terry Fox was, what he was running for, and how amazing it was he ran halfway across the country on one leg.
"We had the kids race on one leg for awhile, and then let them sit to think about how tough it would be to run that far on one leg.
"Some teachers also showed their students a couple of documentaries on Fox."
McClure said even though it's been more than three decades since Fox first started his run in 1980, Naujaat youths still regard him as a hero.
He said the kids appreciate how much courage it took to cover 5,373 km on one leg, while battling cancer.
"Terry was only a kid (22) when he began his run, and to have the confidence and wherewithal to do something to raise cancer awareness at that age was practically unheard of.
"The fact he was only a few years older than some students really blows kids' minds.
"It makes them stop and think about Fox having done that at such a young age."
PE teacher Brad Mainse said the students in both Baker Lake schools had awesome weather for their Terry Fox Run on Sept. 1.
He said a few fun-filled activities are added to the Baker run for the students.
"Rachel Arngnammaktiq Elementary School raised $2,651 this year, which is the biggest total ever for our school," said Mainse.
"We reward the students by giving a pie to the face of five teachers, which the kids love.
"We had about 120 kids make the eight-km run round trip from the arena to the airport."
