Students and staff at the Alexander von Humboldt German International School in Montreal (AvH) showed up again this year to raise funds and friends in support for cancer research in commemoration of the Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope, aiming to find a cure one day.
The AvH Terry Fox Run took place on Wednesday September 29 in response to the invitation by the Terry Fox Foundation for local and international schools across Canada (and beyond) to contribute to the cause through the 41st annual Terry Fox School Run.
Throughout the day on Wednesday, AvH students and staff participated in relay runs in the proximity of the AvH Campus. High school students took the grounds before noon, and middle school students followed in the afternoon, amidst a festive mood of cheering and support from the community.
The Alexander von Humboldt Terry Fox Run was organized by the PE department at AvH under the leadership of Kai Baumgartner, the physical education teacher at the school, and in close cooperation with the students’ representatives at AvH Maria Shtrevensky and Viktoria Schmied.
Kai expressed his gratitude to the support received from students and staff in the participation and the organization of the event. He emphasized the importance of joining forces as a community to be part of a good cause, and to stand for those in need. Kai explains, “it is great that we have so many people not only participating and running, but also setting up the event, selling ice cream, and cheering on. I think it is a great value to have that many kids involved. Such volunteer acts shouldn’t be taken for granted”.
The event couldn’t have happened without the involvement of the local police who did a great job in ensuring the route safety for the kids. The presence of the rescue squads, the paramedics on the site, was equally important to respond with medical care in route if something in the case of any incident.
From their side, Maria and Viktoria, the students’ representatives at AvH, shared their involvement in the organization and mobilization for the event. They put a considerable amount of time and worked late hours to understand students’ needs, and to communicate the details to students, teachers, and school admins, working for a hassle-free event. They explained why they see the AvH Terry Fox run as an important event; “every year we organize the AvH Terry Fox Run, so it helps people with cancer through donations we make, and at the same time it raises the school spirit and awareness for the young kids at a young age to understand the importance to help”.
The Terry Fox Run is one of the extracurricular programs which the AvH commits to in order to extend the education beyond the classroom, putting learning into a societal context and preparing the students to become active global citizens.
The organizers planned an ice cream sale to partially cover the expenses of the event. The main fundraising element to support the Terry Fox Foundation however is channeled through the students, to collect donation from the AvH extended family, parents, friends, and neighbors, who believe in the cause and would like to contribute further through the school. According to Maria and Victoria, “each child gets a donation form and ask their parents and family members to donate, some go around the neighborhood and collect money as well. Then we send the collected donations to the Terry Fox Foundation”.
Any member of the AvH family and friends can contribute to the Terry Fox cancer research cause in the name of Alexander von Humboldt German International School by contacting Kai Baumgartner at baumgartner@avh.montreal.qc.ca.
