Terry Fox has a place in the heart of every Canadian. I also
believe there is room for Terry's mother Betty Fox in our hearts
too. Just watching her on the tv special, Terry Fox: 25 Years of
Legacy, and at the Terry Fox “hometown” Run in Port Coquitlam. show
confirmed for me, that Betty Fox is a quintessential mother for all
Canadians.
Betty Fox has tirelessly talked at elementary schools, universities and
run sites across our country, and in other countries as well. Her two
sons Fred, and Darrell, had been former directors of the BC Yukon Terry
Fox Run offices. Darrell is now National Run director.
On Friday, September 16, over one million school children across our
vast country participated in the first-ever Terry Fox National School
Day Run. From St. John's in NewFound Land, to Victoria on
Vancouver Island in BC.
To have Betty and Rolly Fox interviewed for the tv special while school children ran in the background was very important.
To have live television coverage of this event from different points
across our country was very important. At now other time in our
nation, have over one million people all participated together in a
single event.
And yet television coverage was almost jeopardized by the CBC
lockout. Moyra Rodger of Out To See Productions has been working
tirelessly over the past year to produce the tv special that was shown
twice on the weekend. Over the past year, she filmed footage of
interviews with significant people in Terry's life, as well as events
such as the Canadian Mint coin launch for the $1 Terry Fox coin at
Simon Fraser University. Because of the CBC lockout, the project
was threatened. Scaled back, and switched to an independent
production, it continued on. On the morning of Friday, Sep 16th, Moyra
recieved a 6am phone call that a picket line was blocking the St.
John's camera crew.
I had a heart-felt talk with Moyra on Sunday night. She had been
the producer for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy television special that aired
in 2004 and 2005, and was nominated for two Leo Awards. I knew
how much Terry Fox now meant to her. Both Darrell Fox and I sung
her praises to each other when we chatted at the coin launch.
Moyra is a compassionate worker, and includes people in the
process. Both Darrell and I felt that our own stories and
interests were represented and respected by Moyra. And here she
was, exhausted from a long 2 weeks of filming and editing, getting the
show finished for its 8pm airing just seconds in time.
We talked about how important it was for the country to have the
television special go ahead, and what Terry means to Canadians.
She herself, had questions about proceeding during the CBC
lockout. She wouldn't have done it for a hockey game she told
me. But Terry Fox is special. I told her that Darrell Fox
had told me at times, “What would Terry do?” Does this event
raise people's inspiration and connect them to Terry's dream.
It's important. period.
more later….