TFF Tour of Hope

Thunder Beach

For the first time since rejoining the Tour of Hope on July 9th there is no need to rise early.    Despite this I am up, as my feeble attempt to park the truck and trailer in the lot across from the cottage last night, has awaken me.

Craig arranges a morning run with neighbour Jeff whose property borders Awenda Provincial Park directly north of Penetanguishene(much easier to type then pronounce).  Awenda Park is the second largest park in Southern Ontario at 1,863 hectares and we quickly get lost in the over 30 kilometres of maintained trails.  The 45 minute run evaporates quickly as I enjoy the surroundings and Jeff's knowledge of the native history that dates back over 11,000 years.  Upon returning Craig offers an invite to see more of the park by mountain bike and does not seem the least bit bothered that this is my first mountain bike ride.  In fact, I sense a grin as we mount the bikes and immediately start to climb up, way up, as I am left to figure out how to operate the three chain rings and brakes.   By the end of the ride I am feeling pretty proud that I returned less any broken bones only to be told by Craig that the course was not the least bit technical.  I consider, only briefly, if I have time for a ride on my road bike and choose instead to relax with family at the lake.

Craig and Judy have invited Thunder Beach friends and neighbours to their cottage for a Tour of Hope fund-raiser this evening.  Bonnie and I are proud to see Alexandra and Connor join Somerset outside as they introduce themselves and welcome guests to the Jarvis's pointing to the Tour of Hope banner and Terry's van as part of the pitch that they had rehearsed earlier.  The 3 younger ones then join Windemere and Nathan serving appetizers inside.   Craig speaks eloquently about his cancer journey acknowledging the many friend that are present this evening who provided support along the way.  I remember back to the 18 months of chemotherapy that Terry endured and how we, as family members, felt helpless not knowing how to assist him during these dark days.  Terry did his very best to mask the pain though you always had a sense of what he was experiencing from the stories he shared of others who were battling the disease.  Terry would often say that it was easier for him because he could fight the disease.  Craig then shares how he has mistakenly introduced me as Terry Fox's brother at previous Tour of Hope events and that it should have been Darrell Fox.   I suggest to Craig that he was right all along  - I am simply Terry Fox's brother only replicating my role serving and protecting Terry 28 years later. 

Darrell Fox

Stratford, Cambridge, Kitchener and Thunder Beach

A full day lies ahead for Don and I as we have Tour of Hope events in three cities before heading to Thunder Beach and cottage country for events Saturday and Sunday.  As the van will be loaded/unloaded 4 times and we will cover 8 plus hours driving, Don and I prepare the night before by loading the van so we need only to attach the truck to the trailer in the morning.   We arrive in Stratford at 8:00am where once again Serge(ScotiaMcLeod London) is there to greet us.    I meet Brian Shypula from the Beacon Herald newspaper who shares some of the stories he wrote as part of the 25th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope in 2005.   I remember our time in St. Mary's, July 20, 1980 but this is a first for someone to provide details from the perspective of those who hosted Terry and the Marathon of Hope crew this memorable evening.   It was extremely rare for Terry to spend a late afternoon and night at a private residence as his preference, as much as he enjoyed these occasions, was a few minutes alone in the van.  There is a favourite photo in Doug Coupland's pictorial tribute "Terry" of the St. Mary's BBQ and Terry looks truly at ease as he sits comfortably in a lawn chair surrounded by people enjoying a July summer night. 

We quickly (and again safely!) load the van as the next stop is Cambridge for a Scotiabank hosted lunch time BBQ.  Cambridge is the former home of Funcraft the firm that camperized the 1980 Ford Econoline van that we now call Terry's van.  I am anticipating this Tour of Hope venue just a little bit more as I will be reunited with my family.  Our now good friend Sgt Carrigan will be back again for the day as he exchanges duties with Sgt. Foster for the day.  Sgt. Carrigan offers to pick Bonnie, Alexandra and Connor en route in Toronto as he makes the drive to Cambridge from Whitby.    What are the odds that as we exit the 401 onto Hespeler Road into Cambridge that the vehicle directly in front contains my family?  It is good to see Holi Vlach, though seeing her reminds me of her nephew Alex Vlach who lost his life to cancer in April of 2006.  I met Alex only once after he was diagnosed a second time at the age of 18 and I was quick to recognize that Alex shared similar qualities to Terry.  I have a photo of Alex that was my desktop background for a year and I will never forget his "Cancer sucks".

We leave Cambridge moving north across the 401 and back slighting west to a school parking lot just a few kilometers from Kitchener City Hall.   We are greeted by a group of runners who will follow an OPP vehicle with Terry's van behind as we travel up King Street to City Hall.  As we are enjoying the run and waves from people on sidewalks a man who is wondering what the commotion is outside of his business window dashes out and joins the run introducing himself as Michael Ferguson, my next door neighbour and friend from our Morrill Street home in Port Coquitlam, BC(1967 to 1983).  The conversation is brief as Michael is not dressed in running attire but I comment that he certainly looks different from our days as teenagers.  We are met by a nice crowd at City Hall and by ScotiaMcleod staff who are hosting this Tour of Hope venue.  I note that Daughter Alex and Son Connor are content as they are offering ice cream to all that are gathered.   

As Don is close to his London home he somewhat reluctantly agrees to take the weekend off from the Tour.  We need 3 plus hours as we take the back roads north to Thunder Beach on Georgia Bay(north west of Midland) where we will spend the weekend with Craig, Judy and the Jarvis family.  We arrive as the sun is setting and I am a little panicked as the van will need to be unloaded and the truck/trailer parked in a lot across the street in complete darkness.    I more than appreciate Craig's encouragement as the truck/trailer sways from side to side as I struggle to back it up.  Can I blame my driving skills on Craig for making me laugh hysterically? 

Darrell Fox   

St. Thomas and London

The Harbourfront Hotel donated rooms for Don and I so I arrange a 6:00am wakeup call rather than attempt one more time to set my phone alarm.  I arrive in the lobby luggage, bike and bike box in tow to find Don and Mark have already retrieved the truck/trailer/van from the OPP detachment.   We make a quick stop for coffee and then begin covering the 70 miles to St. Thomas.  We arrive at 8:00 am as planned at the Ford Collision Centre on Talbot Street, not to repair damages sustained in a accident, but for a Tour of Hope fundraiser!   

Bill Johnston Sr and wife Ruth introduce themselves as one of the only two owners of Terry's van from 1980 to 2007.    Bill Sr. and son Bill Jr.  take care of the van from 1989 to 2007.   It was my understanding that after Terry ran his last mile just east of Thunder Bay the van was returned to a Ford Dealership in London where it was sold.   Bill confirms that the van was actually returned to Funcraft, a Cambridge based firm, that specialized in camperizing Ford Econolines and other domestic vans, where it was sold.  Bill is also able to solve the mystery surrounding the odometer mileage.   There are only five digits on the odometer so we were not able to determine how many times the odometer had rolled.  Bill is quick to add that when he handed the van over to his son, Bill Jr, in 2000 the van had traveled 100,000 kilometers.   Bill Jr adds another 260,000 to the total as the van tours North America over the next 7 years with Bill's band "Removal".  360,000 kilometres and, like Terry, the van is still running. 

I find it interesting that music would play a role in the van's history as it certainly was prevalent every day during the Marathon of Hope.    There were very few pleasures for Terry during the Marathon of Hope.   One particular favourite was after a (nother) long day of running Terry would take off on his own in the van.  These late afternoon/early evening ventures, which were more frequent on the east coast, usually involved Terry searching for water or the ocean.  He would slip a cassette tape of country favourites Hank Williams or Johny Cash in the dash.  Writing these words I can see the contrast  between the "usual torture"  of running(Terry's journal words to describe a typical day running) and the soothing and rehabilitating drives and understand completely why Terry cherished them.

We have enough time after departing St. Thomas to drop the truck and trailer at the OPP detachment in London and make a stop at the Lamplighter Inn, where we will be staying tonight, for a late breakfast or early lunch.  It is July 17th and we are in London 28 years to the day that Terry ran through the Forest City.  I remember that day very well though sometimes subsequent visits to London have clouded these memories.   Covent Garden Market in downtown London is our destination where Serge Zaina, Scotia McLeod branch manager is there to greet us.   Somehow it is warmer then the day before in Windsor though the downtown buildings and cement surfaces are probably contributing to the heat.    Mayor Anne Marie DeCiccio-Best opens the event with a few words and is followed by Dr.John Lewis, a recepient of Terry Fox Foundation research funding at London Health Sciences Centre.  We then hear from David Webb, with 4 year old daughter Faith by his side.  Sweet Faith was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer at 18 months of age.  Clutching Faith's tiny hand David shares the difficulty of finding out your daughter had a one in a million chance of being diagnosed with cancer.   After hearing from David I suddenly move back in time to August 27,1980 and Terrace Bay, Ontario where Terry met 10 year old Greg Scott who had flown up from Welland to join him for the day.   

In a late afternoon Terrace Bay speech Terry says  "People say I need stamina and courage to run across Canada on one leg but it is nothing compared to the courage I needed to get through cancer.  I am crying right now because there is someone here that is going through the same thing I went through, the exact same thing, and he is only 10 years old."

It is brave little souls like Greg and Faith that inspired Terry to prove that the impossible was intend possible.

Terry's van makes further visits to Victoria and Springbank Park before the van doors close on another Tour of Hope day.   

Darrell Fox

Kingsville to Windsor to Sarnia

I set my phone alarm for 5:45am which I find out in the morning is of little value since the clock is still on PST and will therefore be going off at 8:45am EST instead.  Fortunately, I hear the voices of Don, Martin, Laura and others downstairs shortly after 6:00am.  I quickly put on my Tour of Hope uniform, (Tour of Hope T-shirt and shorts) as I am drawn to the smell of the bacon and eggs that Laura has prepared for us.  We leave at 6:30am to set up at Migration Hall in Kingsville which will be our first of four stops this morning.  As we regroup in the Migration Hall parking lot we all realize that we are in for a bit of heat today.  I am reminded of the heat that Terry experienced in July/August of 1980.   It would not be unusual for Terry to loose 10 plus pounds during a humid day regardless of the amount of fluids he took in.   This would cause sores to develop on his stump as the lose of weight would change the shape and fit of the stump within the bucket of the prosthesis.

With OPP vehicles protecting Terry's van both in front and behind we move the 25 miles from Kingsville to Amherstburg.  "Arms" from 89X radio in Windsor is joining us for the day and I comment that he is one of only a handful of people that have sat on Terry's bed.    We arrive at Centennial Park in Amherstburg where we are greeted by many families and a large contingent of bikers who will be riding with us to Windsor.  I meet a man who vividly recalls the opening of Centennial Park track where Terry's van is now placed and how he ran a marathon, or 104 times around this very track, as a tribute to, and fundraiser for, Terry.  He adds that he has not been able to run another marathon since.

Next stop is Gill Maure Park in Lasalle where I am moved by the 27 silhouettes of Terry, one for every Terry Fox Run since 1981, that line both sides of the road.    After hearing a few words from Matt(ScotiaMcLeod) and Brian (Southland Insurance) I change attire and join the riders for the final leg to Windsor.  I cannot help but think "If only all rides were like this!" as we ride behind OPP motorcycles making our way towards downtown Windsor.  We were joined by a group of runners for the final kilometre, and a bit, to Dieppe Park where all are able to enjoy a BBQ as a small token of thanks for their efforts supporting the Tour of Hope.   After less than a day I am finding it hard to say goodbye to Matt, Carole, Martin, Raeanne and other members of the Windsor ScotiaMcLeod team.  An understatement, but I value being in the presence of those who have truly embraced Terry's message.   

We then head east along the 401 to the OPP detachment where Don and Sgt Mark Foster had dropped the truck and trailer the night before.   We quickly(but safely!) load Terry's van as our next stop is Sarnia a couple of hours northeast.   We arrive on schedule at 5:00pm and are pleased to see that Lambton Mall offers plenty of flat pavement to unload Terry's van. I quickly recognize, and am very happy to see, Janet Whitlock who organized the very successful Petrolia Terry Fox Run for almost a decade in the 90's.  Janet's son Dave is a long time driver in the Nascar Canadian Tire series(formerly CASCAR) and a signed picture still hangs on my son's wall from a visit made to Delaware Speedway almost 10 years earlier.   I also meet Bob who proudly presents us with a Terry Fox birdhouse complete with a Terry dollar on the front door.  Bob shares how 80 hours of delicate labour was needed to produce the house.  I find a prominent place for it inside Terry's van to go along with the pictures, poems and artwork received from earlier Tour of Hope visits.

I am not at all bothered by the dark clouds, lightening and rain that greets me as I enjoy my run along the Sarnia waterfront and reflect on the day.  I catch up to Don and Mark for a (very) late dinner and without words it is apparent we are truly thankful for this gift of being Tour of Hope members.

Darrell Fox

      

Brampton and Leamington

There are two Tour of Hope events today in Brampton from 11:00am to 2:00pm and Leamington from 6:00pm(30 miles from Windsor).  The distance between poses a few logistical challenges for us as we also need to retrieve the trailer from the OPP detachment at 401/Keele and have an OPP escort change in Cambridge.  Don was up earlier to take the truck to pick up the trailer from the OPP and return in time for our first stop in downtown Brampton at 1 Theatre Lane.  We are due south of Queen Street on Hurontario Street and conveniently placed beside the 401 so we decide to park the truck/trailer here at the Comfort Inn and will return and load the van immediately following the event.

We meet Brampton ScotiaMcLeod staff and family members a couple of kilometres from the Tour of Hope location as they are planning to follow by bike the same route that we will be taking with Terry's van.   The event location is in the heart of downtown Brampton and upon arriving I quickly take advantage of the Scotiabank positioned kitty corner from our location to make a few Tour of Hope deposits.  Matt Spehar, Brampton SM manager and team are out in force and have organized a perfect Tour of Hope venue. 

Among the many Brampton residents we meet over the next 2 1/2 hours is 10 year old Kaileigh.   I hear how Kaileigh is a big fan of, and believer in, Terry's never give up attitude.  Kaileigh makes a very generous donation to the Tour of Hope.  I find out in a note from Mother Lisa following our meeting that Kaileigh and family were recently in China and on the Great Wall where some of their travel friends were complaining about the steep climb.   Kaileigh quickly responds:

"If Terry Fox could run over halfway across Canada on one good leg without complaining I am sure you can walk up this hill."

We have already let them know down the road that a 6:00pm to 6:30pm arrival at Leamington Marina may not be realistic and we will do well to be there by 7:00pm after loading the van on the trailer, filling the truck with diesel, and making the drive west on the 401 towards Windsor.    We make a couple of stops enroute as the vintage OPP vehicle is in need of gas and we need to say (a temporary) goodbye to Sgt.Carrigan and greet Sgt Foster in Cambridge.  We arrive just a few minutes before 7:00pm at the Marina and are thankful for the residents who have patiently waited for Terry's van.

I meet Matt Tobin(and wife Carole) and Martin Barry who will be our hosts for the next  19 hours as the Tour of Hope visits Windsor and surrounding area. I immediately take a liking to them and enjoy Matt's humour which matches my own.   Don and I will be staying at the Barry's home tonight in Kingsville and I enjoy my first home cooked meal since joining the Tour a week ago.  I squeeze in a beautiful run along Lake Erie at 9:00pm (and before dinner).

It is almost a perfect Birthday with only my family missing.

Darrell

Canada AM, Mississauga and Burlington

I neglected to mention that I was fortunate to meet Kyle Angelow and his mom Kathy last night at the My Mississauga event.  Kyle was diagnosed with osteosarcoma(bone cancer), the cancer that claimed Terry's right leg and eventually his life, at a very young age.  I have met Kyle on numerous occasions over the years and cannot express the feeling of witnessing him grow up to be a healthy and happy young man.  Kyle will turn 16 in early August.  I am always thankful to Kyle and Kathy for taking the time to find me during my travels and providing further inspiration.

We are up early as we need to head across town from Mississauga to Scarborough and 9 Channel Court, home of Canada AM.  Like Breakfast TV last week we set up in the parking lot for a live feed.  The Canada AM crew are friendly and take an interest in Terry's van.  I do not meet Beverly Thomson, Canada AM co-host, but enjoy the conversation as I provide an edited version of the van's history as the camera takes a tour inside.

We have just enough time to catch our breath before heading to Riverwood Park in Mississauga for an Scotia McLeod hosted BBQ.  Riverwood Park is a 150 acre hidden jewel in Mississauga managed by the Garden Council. I met again Steve Hemphill, Scotia Scotia McLeod manager.  Steve has participated in every Terry Fox Run since 1985.   I have rarely seen Steve without a smile and his friendly disposition is infectious. Steve's colleague, Belita Frets, has a matching personality and I know Terry is in good and capable hands.  I am not at all surprised to see this event is well attended.    The next three hours disappear quickly as we share Terry's van with all ages.   We then move to Discovery Ford for an afternoon BBQ. Don and I wonder if we should start a poll rating who serves the best hot dog/hamburger!  Steve Harmer, Discovery Ford Sales Manager, is a gracious host.  The Burlington and Port Colborne Terry Fox Run committees are out in force and we are joined by many Burlington residents over the next couple of hours.

It is 8:30pm before we find our way back to where the 401 meets Britannia Road and The Mississauga Comfort Inn Airport West.  We acknowledge we are a little fatigued after a long day and yet we have yet to run a step.    I will draw from Terry's example as I lace up my shoes and complete a couple of laps around the Hershey Center before calling.

The Comfort Inn has been very kind to us storing materials and responding to our last minute request to stay an additional night.    We have not paid for accommodations for quite some time another remainder of the kindness and generosity that Terry received in 1980.

Darrell Fox

Malton and Mississauga

Eve Adams and the City of Mississauga are hosting Terry's van for two events today.  I met Eve, a City Councilor, last year who at that time expressed a sincere interest in assisting Terry's mission in the future.  Following through on her promise we meet again today and appreciate her Tour of Hope involvement.

It is interesting to see how Terry's van acts like a magnet drawing people in to share their Terry memory from so long ago or to tell how they have drawn strength from Terry's story for in troubled times.  Like sister Judi shares in an earlier post for many people being in the presence of Terry's van prompts uncontrollable tears.  Today a lady described how she started to imagine Terry sitting at the edge of the bed as he greeted well wishers as she recalled the documentary footage she had seen in the past. There was no way she could control the flood of emotions that swept through her as she visualized this scene.      

It is Sunday today and I cannot help but notice that Terry's van is placed almost perfectly between two churches.  Not long after we arrive one of the services ends and we are greeted by people in their Sunday dress. I meet Barbara (aka Babs, Barbie, Barbie girl....I could go on) who brings her photo album filled with Marathon of Hope press clippings.  I have seen and read many times over the national stories and Leslie Scrivener's series of Toronto Star articles.  However, this album is like finding lost treasure as I read a story from a never seen before local paper.   

I met Jim Mcravek and his wife. Jim mentions how he used to work for the Ministry of Transportation and as a result a colleague gave him a Terry Fox Courage Highway sign 25 years earlier that was never used.  He believes it is buried somewhere in his crawl space but he is determined to go home and find it before we leave.  Sure enough Jim returns sign in hand proud as can be (as he should) and passes this gift to me so that to be added to the Tour of Hope collection.

We then move Terry's van from the Malton Community Centre to Mississauga City Centre to be part of the My Mississauga Sunday Concert series.  We spent the next two hours greeting people who are there to see Terry's van or to take in the music.  We are all distraught when Glemena's pictures and frame take a tumble and the glass shatters as a result of the strong winds.

I end by wishing good friend Harry Carrigan a Happy Birthday.  Harry, once again, is our OPP escort and we have all enjoyed his company and good nature.

Darrell

 

Ontario Place and Salsa!

John Tinker from the ScotiaMcLeod Toronto Uptown branch is once again our leader today as the Tour of Hope spends 7 hours at Ontario Place.  Monica and the Ontario Place people were very kind and helpful as we park the van close to the main (and only) entrance.  This will be our home from noon to 7:00pm before we move the van to the Salsa Street festival for 8:00pm. 

Glemena's photo collection has been a welcome addition to the tour.  When the opportunity presents itself I take a few moments and absorb the 50 plus framed photos.   What warms me is the smiles and good times that are prevalent in many of the photos.  These are not the usual images of Terry running but confirm that there were moments, as infrequent as they were, when Terry was able to relax.  Though it pains me to now realize people do not recognize that I am the kid with the big hair in many of the photos.  Keith McDaid arrives to lend a hand.  Keith and his team were responsible for fully restoring the van.  Keith's appearance is another example of how he has proven that he cannot fully commit himself to this project and then simply walkaway.   A few blog words will not suffice to articulate what it took to bring Terry's van back to life.    We discuss a potential window in the Tour of Hope schedule where Keith can have the van to complete a few minor details.

Among the many people we speak to during the day is Dwayne, an OPP officer, and his daughter Brontae.  Dwayne is proud that Commissioner Fantino agrees to lend his support to the tour.  He also shares how is son is currently in treatment for leukemia and may not be well enough to attend the Great Big Sea concert later that evening at Ontario Place.  I do not have the right words to comfort Dwayne and only hope he realizes I understand.  I receive a moving email later from Dwayne where he shares that his family is currently battling cancer on three fronts but advances in research, treatment, etc. have given them every reason to be hopeful.  Hope. Marathon of Hope. 

This is our first late night event, or at least mine, as we head North on Bathurst to St Clair Avenue for the Salsa Street Festival.  I receive an email from Paul McCourt, former Charlottetown, and now Beaches, Terry Fox Run organizer stating he is at Salsa and he is being told by Toronto Police that the van will not be making an appearance.  Paul sees us as he is leaving the festival before I can respond letting him know that we are just down the street.  I realize we do not have lighting for both the inside and outside of the van.  It does not seem to make a difference as there is a crowd awaiting the van as we arrive and they are more then pleased and content to be in the presence of this piece of Canadian history darkness and all.  A group of young boys arrive who are enthralled with the van and I spend time answering their many questions.  Glemena captures, with her camera, a beautiful moment of the boys studying the photos like I was earlier at Ontario place to begin this perfect day. 

Darrell Fox

Scotia Plaza, Scarborough and the Blue Jays

An early morning fund raiser to start the day at Scotia Plaza.   Don is up even earlier to place the van on the Adelaide Street side of the Plaza.  After the event, Craig Jarvis suggests we work a few ScotiaMcLeod floors selling hats and raffle tickets.   Craig, making rules as we go along, decides that ScotiaMcLeod advisor's will be given 5 tickets for a donation while their staff are offered 10 tickets for giving the same contribution!   We leave after 45 minutes pleased and thankful for the generosity and wondering how long it would take to visit the Plaza's 68 floors?

Next stop is Scarborough ScotiaMcleod for a lunch time event.  I met Paula Murphy who shares her scrapbook, one of a few I will see in the next couple of days, filled with articles documenting Terry's run and his legacy.  I truly enjoy meeting Bernie Rose, Scotia McLeod manager and his team and only wish I was able to stay to witness Bernie particpating in a Terry Fox Tour of Hope head shave.  Jamie, one of the restoration crew members, pays a visit to the luncheon and as luck would have it, the visit is timely.  I take his number down as he is interested in joining us at the Blue Jays game later in the day.  I call fifteen minutes later but instead of discussing attending the game I need his help as the van is experiencing a gas line problem related to the one encountered a few weeks earlier in Prince Edward Island.  Jamie is not available as he is back at work but brother Jason arrives within minutes tools in hand.    The van needs to be at Gate 5 for the Blue Jays game by 4:00pm so after a few anxious minutes we can relax as the van moves once again.

Craig reminds me of a special guest that I will meet at the game.  I have been baffled for weeks as the Marathon of Hope entourage was always small and I cannot offer names as to whom it might be. It is Martin Lott who with daughter Marlene spent a few days with Terry on the road.  It is hard to describe the feeling of remembering lost memories.   The Lott family home, in Acton, is one of the few private residences we visited during the Ontario section of the Marathon of Hope.  Acton is also home to Jon Hurst who has organized the Terry Fox Run since the very first event in 1981.  I find out that Martin at one time lived next door to Jon in a house that I have been in.   Martin has with him photos of Terry and the Marathon of Hope.   I also cannot express the satisfaction and enjoyment I receive from seeing photos for the first time from 28 years earlier. I mark my calender as we will meet again in cottage country in a couple of weeks.

It is 28 years earlier to the day that Terry attended a Blue Jay game and threw out the first pitch.  It is fitting that Friday's are Blue Jay retro nights and the team are wearing uniforms from their early days. Terry's van and a retro OPP vehicle driven by Commissioner Fantino will be on the field as part of the ceremonial first pitch.  It is with considerable relief that I find out the pitch was not broadcast as it was definitely out of the strike zone, do I need to say more?  I thought, at least at the time, that it was a good idea to bring my daughter Alexandra and her friend Samantha to take in the festivities surrounding the van(Alex is in Toronto to visit her friend while I spend time with the van).  I enjoy speaking to Paul Godfrey who was Chairman of Toronto in 1980 and on the stage with Terry at Nathan Phillips Square on July 11,1980.   He speaks enthusiastically and fondly of Terry.

Darrell Fox

Nathan Phillips Square

Today, the van returns, after a lengthy absence, to Nathan Phillips Square and is parked over lunch hour during "Tasty Thursdays".  Tasty Thursdays involves a variety of local restaurants serving their favorite fare and line ups are long for the 12:00pm to 1:30pm lunch hour rush.   A band entertains the crowd and I cannot help but notice that the stage is positioned very close to where a stage was placed 28 years earlier when Terry was greeted by 10,000 Torontians.  I also see that the van is parked precisely where Terry started to walk towards the stage after running into the square north from Queen Street after making his way south down Avenue Road/University Avenue.  Harry and the 80's OPP cruiser is quite the attraction to the many out of towners who are in the square today.  We are able to take the stage at 12:45pm to share a few Tour of Hope words which further helps in letting people know that Terry's van is near.  ScotiaMcLeod uptown and downtown friends are all out in force with Tour of Hope donation buckets and they eagerly work the crowds.

Just the one event today sandwiched between a few full ones so I take the opportunity to get a ride in east and west along the lakeshore and boardwalk. Confirming my wake up call for the next morning I have a nice discussion with the hotel operator who initiates a conversation as he is keen on seeing the van.

Darrell Fox