Michael J. Fox's Marathon of Hope
Published February 15, 2010 @ 11:40 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

This one is a few days old now, but it's worth an entry. Meredith Vieira, who was on NBC talking about Betty Fox, speculated that as mother of "Michael Fox…who suffered from cancer, he started that marathon of hope" she might actually be the person who would light the Olympic cauldron.

I can almost accept the slip of the tongue, but the kicker is when NBC throws up a picture of Michael J. Fox to ensure Americans know exactly who Meredith Vieira is talking about.

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2009 Terry Fox Run at High Park
Published September 13, 2009 @ 12:24 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

What a fantastic morning. The entire family got out of bed early to participate in the Terry Fox Run at High Park. My wife and kids were met there by my mom, my brother, his wife and their unborn child. That's right, there's an unborn child in the family. Cool, eh?

David Miller was there as well, and I introduced myself as the guy he knows better as @torontomike on Twitter. He was joined by our MP Gerard Kennedy and our MPP Cheri DiNovo.

The reason we were there was to keep going for Terry. That's why I've raised $645.00 thus far. Most of that came from readers of this blog, and for that I'm truly appreciative. You guys are awesome.

It's not too late to sponsor me. If you can afford to give, click over to http://www.terryfox.org/cgi/page.cgi/Run/participants.html/GWJHRE and help pad my total. I promise warm thoughts in return.

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Terry Fox Run 2009 - Have You Pledged Me Yet?
Published September 9, 2009 @ 19:23 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

In four days I'm running in the Terry Fox Run. I'm aiming to raise $1000. I'm currently at $295.

Donate now. If you pledge more than $20 you get a tax receipt right away. Also, I'll know you pledged my run and will always have warm thoughts about you.

Do it for me. Do it for Terry.

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Donate to My Terry Fox Run
Published August 31, 2009 @ 14:49 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

I'm running for Terry on Sunday, September 13 at High Park. I'm aiming to raise $1000 for The Terry Fox Foundation. I'm really going to need your help.

Donate to my run. They'll email you a tax receipt in PDF. It's easy, secure and for a good cause.

Who has the courage to go first?

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$749 for the Terry Fox Foundation
Published September 14, 2008 @ 13:33 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

What an awesome morning for the Terry Fox Run. It was warm, the sun broke through the clouds and the turnout at High Park was much better than last year.

David Miller addressed the crowd before cutting the ribbon and starting this year's 4.5 km race. With a federal election next month, Liberal MP candidate Gerard Kennedy was there with the Green Party candidate, Robert Rishchynski. Although I saw her out last year, incumbent MP Peggy Nash didn't make an appearance.

This wasn't about political photo ops. This was about raising funds and awareness for The Terry Fox Foundation. Thanks to your generosity, I ran with $749 in pledges. It was also my first Terry Fox Run with my son.

James did great, hanging tough for all 4.5 km. It was more of a brisk walk than a run, but he was rewarded at the finish line with a bottle of water, a banana and chocolate chip cookies. Thanks, James, for joining the cause. We'll do it all again next year.

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Running for Terry on Sunday
Published September 10, 2008 @ 20:02 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

I'm running for Terry in High Park on Sunday morning. I've thus far raised $572 but I'd like to raise more. That's where you can help.

If you haven't yet contributed, pledge my run online and help me help the Terry Fox Foundation.

It's really, really slick. You enter your credit card number, securely and easily, and your tax receipt is emailed to you as a PDF right away. Thanks to all who have already chipped in and to those who needed this final prodding.

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Help Me Help The Terry Fox Foundation
Published September 3, 2008 @ 15:17 in Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

I'm running for Terry on September 14. That's less than two weeks away, and thus far I've raised an underwhelming $44.

I serve up lots of content and never ask for a dime, so here's what I'm hoping you'll do so I can save face. My target is $500. I've got a long way to go. Brother, if you can spare a dime, pledge my run online and help me help the Terry Fox Foundation.

That link again is http://www.terryfoxrun.org/ENRunner/default.asp?s=1&RunnerID=52623 and it's secure and easy and you'll earn plenty of karma credits.

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The Heart of Marketing
Published August 15, 2008 @ 13:04 in Ford Focus Test Drive, My 2 Cents, Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

I just wrote about the Ford Focus I'm test driving for ten days. That meant meeting Zoe from the Social Media Group who contacted me in the first place and a few very nice people from Ford.

Obviously, Ford expects me to write about this test drive, but they never once told me I had to. In fact, there were surprisingly few caveats or requirements. They just want the car back at some point, ideally on the 25th.

After they gave me the keys and told me to have fun, they had one more thing to pass my way. During their travels on this blog they came across this entry about Terry Fox in which I mentioned my six year old son was inspired by Terry's effort. Ford and the Terry Fox Foundation work together so a call was made and I was given some fantastic Terry Fox tee shirts, books and a DVD for the kids.

It wasn't necessary but it struck a chord. James and Michelle are going to love their Terry Fox tees and I know James will enjoy the books and DVD. That one above and beyond gesture carries more weight than the ten day test drive. That's the heart of marketing, and Ford got it.

Since we're talking Terry, I'm running for Terry in September. Pledge my run online right here.

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2008 Terry Fox Run - Donate Now!
Published July 7, 2008 @ 19:40 in Running, Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

When I got home tonight I had a package waiting for me from Martha McClew, Ontario Provincial Director of The Terry Fox Foundation. In addition to a nice letter thanking me for my contribution last year, there was a DVD with a great Terry Fox documentary and other inspiring stories.

My son loves the Terry Fox story. As he just told me, we can finish Terry's Marathon of Hope for him. As I type this, James is watching the Terry Fox documentary and he's mesmerized. He's always loved Terry Fox.

This is precisely why I once called Terry Fox the greatest Canadian. I can't think of a more inspirational story. I just have to think about Terry's pledge and everything falls into perspective.

I haven't been able to run since November, but I'll make sure I complete The 2008 Terry Fox Run on Sunday, September 14, 2008. Click below and be the first to sponsor my run.

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James Tells Me An Inspirational Tale
Published September 26, 2007 @ 21:25 in Family, Terry Fox | Terry Fox Run

I haven't shared stories about the kids lately, and it's not because there aren't any. It's because there are too many. They're both at these ages where just about everything they do is priceless and precious and too cute for words. It's truly cuteness overload.

Tonight when I got home from work, James excitedly met me at the door to show me his temporary tattoo. It was a picture of Terry Fox. He wanted to tell me all about this Terry Fox fellow, about how he had one real leg and one robot leg, about how he ran so far every day and wanted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer. Hearing James tell me about my hero was pretty awesome, but it was his enthusiasm that got me.

He told me Terry Fox would run first thing in the morning and sometimes didn't eat lunch until dinner. He went on to say he did the Terry Fox Run, but he didn't go as far as Terry would go. He also told me they saw a video about Terry Fox because he couldn't be there in person, having died from his cancer.

He's only five, but James seemed to get it. He seemed to understand how special Terry Fox was and he seemed to be inspired by him. It was very cool.

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