1. Home
  2. /
  3. Featured
  4. /
  5.  GFESS Terry Fox Walk...

 GFESS Terry Fox Walk Exceeds Expectations 

By; Sydney Steele, Hailey Hudson, & Olivia Desilest (GFESS Journalism Team), October 10, 2024, VOL. 6 ISSUE 3 

In honor of the Canadian hero, Terry Fox, Greater Fort Erie Secondary School’s (GFESS) Athletic Council organized a Terry Fox Walk that exceeded expectations. The Terry Fox Walk took place on Friday, September 20th, 2024 where GFESS students participated in the walk to support cancer research. Over 150 students and staff members took part in the walk which started at Crescent Beach, followed along the Friendship Trail to Buffalo Road, and finally returned to GFESS. In preparation for the walk, the GFESS Athletic Council poured countless hours of time and energy into bringing attention to the important movement. 

The GFESS Athletic Council Staff Advisor, Marianne Borich, touched upon how the “Athletic Council started two years ago by a small group of students who felt a lack of sports representation after everything shut down during COVID.” The GFESS Athletic Council currently has 20 active members who brought this event to life. 

Athletic Council Event Planner, Jorja Putman, shared that this group met frequently to navigate the various elements of planning the routes and the opening ceremony. The two-month planning process resulted in multiple fundraisers, a captivating opening ceremony, and a walk that unified the GFESS school community in the spirit of Terry Fox.

One of the key fundraisers included the bake sale.  Julia Veltman, Athletic Council Prime Minister stated, “We raised $500 for the Terry Fox Foundation from the bake sale.” The wonderful variety of goods were hand-crafted by council members.  

Prior to the walk, the Athletic Council hosted an opening ceremony, focused on sharing more about Terry Fox and his story and to thank everyone for their support. At the event, Evelyn Bellissimo, a Grade 11 student at GFESS spoke about her journey and personal experience with cancer. Many students spoke of the impact of her speech. 

“It was a very sentimental moment. Having Evelyn speak was a wonderful idea, as she is someone the students know and can relate to. This is a way to have students better understand the importance of this event,” Athletic Council Event Planner, Alexei Tritchew stated.

In total, through donations and fundraising, Ms. Borich was happy to share that “we earned roughly $1600 for the Terry Fox Foundation!” The Terry Fox Walk slogan #NoMatterWhat strongly represents the efforts put forth by the GFESS community.

There are no upcoming events at this time.