The Gift: Helping to raise $220,000 and climbing
The Cause: Terry Fox Foundation
Morgan Lunn and Tori Stone spent much of the last school year raising money at the University of Western Ontario for cancer research, notably via the Terry Fox Run.
They were part of a group that raised $220,000 at the university for the Terry Fox Foundation, one of the highest fundraising totals by any postsecondary institution in Canada.
This school year, they wanted to do something more.
Both are recreational runners and they decided to set an ambitious goal of running 1,000 kilometres between May and September, raising money along the way.
"We knew it would be a challenge," said Ms. Lunn, a business student from North Vancouver. "We get up every morning at 7 a.m. and are on the road. We both enjoy running but haven't done anything this huge."
The two have averaged about 20 kilometres per day and are close to finishing the 1,000 km. They hope to raise $3,000 from the run and contribute that to the Terry Fox activities at Western, which they are helping to organize again.
Their goal this year for Western is to exceed last year's $220,000 total. Roughly 8,000 students participate in various fundraising events throughout September.
"It's an amazing thing to see people come by and donate," said Ms. Lunn.
"If I'm not part of the cause to find a cure [for cancer], I don't know what I am doing."