Terry Fox Run gets equine twist in Balgonie
For more than 25 years a woman in Balgonie, Sask. has been hosting an annual fundraiser for cancer research around the Terry Fox Run, with a new twist on the event.
On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox set out on his cross-country run to raise money and awareness for cancer research leading to the creation of annual runs held across the country, but on Wina Lechner’s farm, horses will go the distance for the cause.
Lechner holds a Terry Fox Equestrian Trail Ride every year, where people can bring their horses and ride the route or jump in a wagon.
This year there were three wagons at the event, two pulled by horses and one by a tractor, alongside around 40 horses.
Lechner said people look forward to the event every year, asking for the date as early as June
The day typically starts at 1 p.m. then ends with a potluck dinner back at the farm.
A family affair, the kids were excited to get out on the trail and take in the countryside from either a hose or the wagon.
"Sometimes little kids they just want to give some out of their own pockets, so that's why it's a small amount of two or three dollars or five dollars whatever it will be," said Lechner.
She collects donations from participants at the end of the ride to be put towards cancer research. Lechner said donations rang from one or two dolrs from the kids up to $100.
After years of this event at her current farm, and in the past hosting a couple of rides in Fox’s name at Wascana Lake, Lechner has never participated in a Terry Fox Run.
"I never have done that before, the run, so I thought it would be kind of fun to do that on horseback," said Lechner, adding everyone enjoys getting together year after year for the event.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'Wild, wild west.' Families say organs of deceased Alabama inmates have been removed without their consent
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.