Ottawa, Ontario, September 30, 2010--Member of Parliament for London West, Mr. Ed Holder, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, in partnership with the Terry Fox Foundation, today launched the “What Terry Fox means to me” challenge, which invites young Canadians to express how a great Canadian hero and his legacy inspires them.
“Over thirty years ago Terry Fox was inspired by the courage of cancer patients, many of them young children, to run his Marathon of Hope,” said Mr. Holder. “The legacy of Terry Fox continues to resonate with Canadians and today, through the “What Terry Fox means to me” challenge, we are inviting and encouraging young Canadians to share their thoughts and ideas with other Canadians on the legacy left by Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope.”
Organized by Parks Canada in partnership with the Terry Fox Foundation, the “What Terry Fox means to me” challenge is divided into two components. First, young Canadians are invited to submit a quote or an idea of what Terry Fox means to them as Canadian youth. Two quotes (one English and one French) will be chosen from the submitted entries. Second, young Canadians are invited to submit a design concept which shows their interpretation of the route Terry Fox followed on his Marathon of Hope from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Thunder Bay, Ontario. One design will be chosen from the entries received.
Parks Canada will use the selected quotes and route design concept as inspiration for the final design of the Terry Fox Mile ‘0’ Memorial Site in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, the site where Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in 1980. The three youths who submitted the chosen works and a parent or guardian will be brought to Ottawa in the Fall to participate in an event where the selected quotes and route design will be announced.
“No one foresaw how successful Terry Fox would be in raising awareness for cancer research,” said Minister Prentice. “Year after year, decade after decade, generation after generation, we continue his fight to find a cure. I am very pleased that young Canadians will have an opportunity to help shape the way in which we will commemorate Terry Fox and his achievement.”
“Terry’s dream has been shared and embraced by close to 3 million students participating in the annual Terry Fox National School Run Day,” said Betty and Rolly Fox, parents of Terry Fox. “We are delighted that youth from across Canada will be involved in developing the Mile 0 site where Terry began his Marathon of Hope.”
The challenge runs from September 30, 2010, which coincides with the Terry Fox Foundation National School Run Day, through to October 22, 2010.
For more information about Terry Fox or the Mile ‘0’ Memorial Site please visit Parks Canada’s website at www.pc.gc.ca.
For more information about the “What Terry Fox means to me” challenge please visit the Terry Fox Foundation website at www.terryfox.org.
Information:
Pascale Boulay
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
www.twitter.com/jimprentice
Media Relations
Parks Canada
819-994-3023
www.twitter.com/parkscanada
