May 22, 2008 Ford of Canada Oakville 9:30am
It was a historical day in the lobby at Ford of Canada crowded with their staff , Terry Fox Foundation staff - Martha McClew, Britta, and Lou Fine ( Terry's Canadian Cancer Society handler during Northern Ontario 1980), Dean Stonely - VP General Marketing, Craig Jarvis of Scotia McLeod, and Fox Family member Darrell Fox ( executive director of the Terry Fox Foundation/ Terry Fox Research Institutes). The media attended in great numbers for this wonderful/good news story. Of course Keith and crew who worked 20 hours days on end to pull it all together took in the unveiling and are now driving it east to St. John's Nfld. We heard of where Terry was May 22, 1980 - Springhill N.S., heard of how honored Ford was to be a part of the restoration, how Scotia McLeod will use a "coast to coast fund " to cover the expenses of the "Tour of Hope" from St. John's to Victoria (mid Sept). Darrell Fox emotionally spoke to the important significance the van holds from the sweat and tears Terry experienced on his quest of 143 marathons raising monies for Cancer Research. It was his home, his sanctuary and now Canadians can reach out, touch it and celebrate his legacy and help carry on his journey by supporting the Tour of Hope.
The following poem was read at todays event. This poem hung in the van above his bed and he read it each night before he slept.
It Couldn't Be Done - BY Edgar Allan Guest
Somebody said it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied,
That "maybe it couldn't", but he would be one,
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in, with the trace of a grin, on his face.
If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing and he tackled the thing,
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: Oh you'll never do that;
At least no one has ever done it.
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he's begun it.
With a lift of his chin, and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing and he tackled the thing,
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done", and you'll do it.
Thank you Terry and Canada get ready for the Tour of Hope coming your way this summer.
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