CENTRE WELLINGTON – The Centre Wellington Terry Fox Run's new organizer is ready and excited to fill his predecessor's shoes for this weekend's annual event.
While Will Shuya only stepped into his new position as the C.W. Terry Fox Run's organizer a couple of weeks ago, the experienced runner said it's great to be involved in a good cause like the Terry Fox Run, an event he's loved and participated in since he was a kid.
Shuya is replacing Chris Mulligan, who served as the local run organizer for 12 years but stepped down earlier this year because he "just wanted a change" and needed more time for work and family.
This year's event will take place on Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon on a 10 km course starting in Forfar Park, at Gartshore and Forfar Street, and stretching through the Elora-Cataract Trail to Belwood's Shand Dam and back.
"I quite enjoy doing the Terry Fox Run, even if I just go by myself," said Shuya in a phone interview with GuelphToday. "I just throw my music on and do it myself. So I totally get why people love doing it because I have that same feeling myself."
A longtime participant who ran the full 10 kilometres at last year's event, Shuya said outside of the run's overall goal to fundraise for cancer research it's something people come back to because it's a fun way to bring the community together, meet new people and find common interests.
The Centre Wellington Terry Fox Run has raised $1,225 of this year's $5,100 goal so far.
"It's nice to find people that have common interests with you and you can kind of share that together," said Shuya. "I mean you may never talk to those people again but it's just nice to have a moment with other humans that you might find out something that you didn't know about yourself or other people."
Shuya also said he's "always been inspired" by the Canadian's story and is "always thinking of him," when he goes for a run and "especially on the run day itself."
"I just think about the fact that he didn't even have a functional leg and he was still able to (run part of the way across Canada)," said Shuya. "So it just goes to show you no matter what kind of situation you're in, you're still able to do stuff and enjoy life for what it's worth."
Outside of Centre Wellington, several other Terry Fox events are running across Wellington County at Palmerston Lions Park in Palmerston, Elm Street in Drayton, Foodland on Main Street South in Mount Forest and Centre 2000, Dundas and Main Streets in Erin.
Together, county groups have raised $19,860 so far this year.
Those looking to participate or donate to the C.W. Terry Fox Run can do so here.
If you're interested in volunteering for the C.W. Terry Fox Run, email [email protected] or message the Facebook page.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program
