By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
You will still definitely see Fred Stegmayer at Cobourg’s Terry Fox Runs in the future – but after 28 years chairing the annual events, he is passing to baton to newer hands.
Fred introduced new co-chairs Colin and Jennifer Powles at a recent interview that included much nostalgia about the event’s beginnings and the far-reaching differences it has made.
Terry Fox’s face and his cause are known world-wide, Colin said, so it’s surprising to think back to when he started his cross-country run in April 1980, announcing his hope of raising $1 per Canadian for cancer research. It was a shoestring endeavour, Terry Fox running and his friends driving a support van to back him up.
“In Quebec, he was almost run off the road,” Jen said.
And though he often had to sleep in that van, Fred recalled, the Four Seasons hotel chain came on board with support that continues to this day.
The cancer spread to his lungs and, after 143 days and 5,373 km., Terry Fox had to stop. But the donations kept coming, and his fundraising goal of $24.17-million was reached. He became the youngest recipient of the Order of Canada before his death in June 1981 at the age of 22.
“It’s nice to motivate children to understand why we have the Terry Fox Run,” Fred said.
“We have some guy who experienced all these difficulties, and he saw all the children with cancer and said, ‘We have to do something.’”
“The values he represents still resonate so strongly in students and children today,” Jen said.
Terry Fox Runs now take place in more than 40 countries around the world. And wherever Canadians may be on the day of the run – whether it’s an older couple on a cruise ship or a member of the military stationed overseas – you may very well see a smaller-scale Terry Fox Run organized. Jen has a well-traveled friend who teaches abroad and has organized these events in Singapore and China.
Cobourg has had annual runs since 1981, the year 200 participants raised $5,000. Not a year has been missed since (though there were several virtual runs during the pandemic). Since 1988, annual fundraising has never fallen below five figures. Their biggest year ever was 2023, when they broke the $40,000 barrier. In total, they are closing in on the million-dollar mark, having raised $898,786.79 in 43 runs.
Fred has chaired the event for 28 of those years and, for most of the remainder, his friend Bob Clement did the honours. Clement was a fundraising powerhouse who said the secret of his success was that he was never afraid to ask for a donation. And, in those days, that’s how these funds were raised – personal requests of friends and family members, and even door-to-door approaches to neighbours.
Just retired from Port Hope’s Trinity College School, the Powleses were involved in organizing that school’s Terry Fox Run. And before they came to Trinity, they organized runs at other schools where they taught.
Jen said the first run she organized was in 1988 back at McMaster University. In Toronto, she organized a challenge among a number of independent schools that ended up raising millions of dollars over the years.
Fred met the couple as neighbours. He spotted Colin walking the dog and considered recruiting him into the Terry Fox Run.
“Then, when I found out Jennifer’s involvement, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is a jackpot!’”
Similarly, Jen is now making plans for key recruitments, including another neighbour – cancer survivor and teacher Carolyn Oster, who has organized school runs both at CCI and in Port Hope.
She doesn’t see making any big changes “because, in Fred and Collette’s time running it, they have tried changing it up, responding to ideas and suggestions of people in the community and, I think he has found a very good recipe for running a successful event.
“He has created an atmosphere that is so inviting to everyone, every group – everyone who wants to stroll the run, other people who want to run it and see what their time is.
“People feel welcome, and they have worked it into their own annual tradition – which is what we want to keep, and try to live up to Fred’s organizational abilities and sense of community he has created, as well as focusing on raising money for cancer research, because that’s what it’s all about.”
Fred sees the Powleses as bringing an important dimension to the event.
“They have the capability for platforms – Facebook, Instagram,” he pointed out.
“We have never utilized those tools. They are bringing these tools to the forefront, and I think it will make a humongous difference.”
The first year they accepted on-line donations, that amounted to 5% of the total. Last year, it was 60%.
“It’s an incredible source. They have the capability of tapping into these tools.”
But he also credits the personal touch with creating the great team and the loyal support he has had. He made personal approaches to previous participants, as each year’s Terry Fox Run approached, to turn out again and support the cause. And when COVID-19 forced virtual events, he redoubled these efforts, even resorting to letters (“the postage was crazy,” he recalled). As a result, more than $30,000 was raised each of these years.
“I am so thrilled with the generosity of the community – just fantastic. And the schools actually make more money now than the event,” Fred said.
At the age of 87, Clement is still this kind of supporter (“he’s just a machine,” his friend declared). And Fred has expressed his own commitment to continue his own personal fundraising efforts as long as he can.
That includes helping the new chairs take the helm, Colin said.
“We’re just excited to welcome people to the run,” he stated.
“We really want to get families and community people doing it together. It’s not a race, it’s a run that people do together, and you do it at your own pace.”
“Fred has done this for the community such a long time, almost raising $1-million,” Jen said.
“You and Collette have done such a tremendous job in organizing, raising the money for the Terry Fox Foundation, doing it all.”
That includes his daughter Heidi Stegmayer and her husband Brent Jones, Fred pointed out, travelling from Tweed each year to lend a hand – and their truck – with the physical work (like ensuring all the signage goes up in time).
And an amazing array of local sponsors is on board, Jen added, such as the help with snacks provided by Metro, Foodland and No Frills.
This year, the big day is Sept. 15, 8 a.m. to noon at the traditional location in the Lions and Lionesses Pavilion at Victoria Park, with the traditional 5K route.
“There will be water stations along the route, and it’s accessible for everyone to participate. At the registration table, we have snacks and smiling faces to welcome you and encourage you. Bring friends and family.”
“Bring your dog,” Fred added.
And it goes, rain or shine, Colin stated.
“Terry did it, rain or shine, and we will do it, rain or shine.”
Colin also suggests checking for updates and links to the fundraising pages and the Cobourg website at terryfoxruncobourg (Instagram) and Terry Fox Run Cobourg (Facebook).
