Peter McCully: This is The PULSE Community Podcast. Welcome back. I'm Peter McCully, and we are officially kicking off the very first episode of Season 3.

Dave Graham: And I'm Dave Graham. I have to be honest, Peter, I did not expect us to make it to Season 3. Wow, this is great. Hey, did somebody bring cake? This seems like a good time for cake. Well, most times are, but this occasion is as good as any - just my opinion. Hey, if someone's going on a cake run, I vote for chocolate. So where were we? Oh yeah, I've updated my business cards. Got them done at Parks West in Parksville. I'm now going by, get this, PULSE Community Podcast Senior Executive Co-Host.

Peter McCully: Senior Executive Co-Host?

Dave Graham: Well, it feels right. I think I've earned it after two full seasons with, what, zero walkouts and just one meltdown.

Peter McCully: I counted two.

Dave Graham: The point is, Season 3 should bring a title bump, possibly a nameplate for my desk. I like that. And I think it's time I got a reserved parking spot.

Peter McCully: We record from the basement in your house, Dave.

Dave Graham: You call it a basement. I call it the Multimedia Entertainment Lounge Studio Facility and Guest Bedroom. Anyway, my demand stands. I need a dedicated parking spot.

Peter McCully: Well, how about we put up a little sign that says, "It's your parking space"? And congrats on the parking space and the new title, Dave. I'm sure that can only add to the quality of our content. Actually, the timing is good - the Labour Day long weekend has come and gone, and it feels like the right moment for a fresh season and a full new lineup of Vancouver Island stories.

Dave Graham: Ah, yes. The story is key, and it's such an honour to be able to meet all these remarkable people and hear their stories. Today's podcast is brought to you in part by Tablet Pharmacy, with locations in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and Nanaimo. Visit them online and check their prices at tabletpharmacy.ca.

Peter McCully: September 20th is the annual Terry Fox Run. Darrell Fox was just 17 when he joined his brother Terry on the road for the final months of the 1980 Marathon of Hope. He joins us on the podcast today.

Darrell Fox: He took on the impossible and proved that it can be done, and that's what I believe. I'm still trying to find the answer to how he did it - I'll never have that answer. He was athletic, but he wasn't a gifted athlete. He overcame his limitations by just trying his very best, and that's the message I think we can all take and learn from. We can set our goals high, each and every one of us. The only thing limiting us is our ability to try, and try is inherent.

Peter McCully: And the Port Alberni Toy Run is coming up soon. It's one of Canada's largest community-run toy convoys, raising over $2 million for local kids. Marnie Grimes joins us to share the story.

Marnie Grimes: We purchased children's dental equipment so that the people of our valley didn't have to leave the valley - all the tiny baby instruments for dental work, so these kids had the chance to be worked on in our community. In November, I got to sign $19,000 worth of cheques that went back to our School District 70 here in the Alberni Valley, supporting our culinary courses, our outdoor living courses, music, band. These are the courses I honestly believe save kids' lives, and we're lucky enough to be able to provide the equipment they need to do that.

Dave Graham: Paul Black, a blues singer-songwriter from Victoria, will be playing the Mid-Island area, and he's going to bring some music and his story to a future podcast.

Peter McCully: And Hunter Dryden, the grandson of Hall of Famer Ken Dryden, will be joining us on the podcast. He'll be playing with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL.

Tablet Pharmacy: Ever find yourself waiting endlessly at a big box pharmacy, feeling like just another number? At Tablet Pharmacy, they provide the personalized service you deserve. They offer free delivery and blister packaging options to make managing your medications easier than ever. Check their competitive prices online at tabletpharmacy.ca.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network, since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.

Dave Graham: We have a new contest on the go with the folks at Parks West in Parksville. We're giving away $50 worth of art supplies - choose from coloured pencils, markers, sketchbooks, and more.

Peter McCully: To enter to win, fill out the form at the contest link and tell us either the name of Captain Dave's first mate or Gracie the Eskimo Dog's owner.

Dave Graham: I cannot resist looking over the art supplies section when I'm out shopping - all those markers and empty sketchbooks just sitting there, full of promise and potential. And we're actually starting to build a pretty nice collection for artists with the colouring pages that come with our Kids Stories series - more on that later. Okay, Mr. Senior Executive Co-Host, are you ready to get to our first guest? I don't even have a sign for my parking spot yet. Still, the show must go on. Here's Marilyn to introduce our first guest of Season 3.

Marilyn: For 42 years, motorcycles have poured into Port Alberni every September, carrying toys instead of luggage. What started with eight friends in 1984 has grown into one of Canada's largest community-run toy convoys, raising over $2 million for local kids. Longtime spokesperson Marnie Grimes joins us to share the story behind the roar.

Peter McCully: Thanks for joining us on the podcast today, Marnie.

Marnie Grimes: Thanks for having me.

Peter McCully: The Port Alberni Toy Run turns 42 this year. It started back in the mid-'80s. Perhaps you could tell us the story of how it started, and who the original riders were.

Marnie Grimes: There are definitely some good stories when it comes to the first one. There were eight riders in the very first one, in 1982. They actually took a year off in '83, and then the first one we officially count is 1984, with eight members. I have seven of those names: Greg Philpot, who rode in the first one and the 40th one before he passed - never missed one - Brian Louden, Dr. Randy Defoe, Corey Coletti, and Harry Cross. And if I'm not mistaken, there was a gentleman they just knew as Porch - nobody could ever figure out his real name.

Peter McCully: Now, how did you personally get involved with the Toy Run, and how did you end up as spokesperson and chairperson?

Marnie Grimes: I've been watching the Toy Run since I was a little girl - I won't admit exactly how old I was in the first ones, but I was on the younger side. My mom and dad were hardworking firewood cutters, and we hung out with the Beaver Creekers, as we call them, a lot of whom rode motorbikes. So from a young age I was around motorbikes - I had my first dirt bike when I was nine, and I kept that going. As you get older in this town, you realize the importance of community and giving back, and being there for your community - and there is nobody that does it better than Toy Run.

Peter McCully: You mentioned there were eight riders when it first started. Now there are well over 1,000 riders each year. What do you remember about what changed so that it really took off and became so popular?

Marnie Grimes: I'm going to say bikers may have something with anniversary dates, because our 25th Toy Run is our highest-numbered one yet - 1,463 bikes registered, which is very close to the world record of 1,764 - don't quote me on that one, but that number comes from the UK. In three years we're actually going to go for the Guinness World Record and try to beat it, so we're close. What really changed was that the community took notice of what we were doing. Back at the 25th one we didn't have Facebook or Instagram - it was all word of mouth, and it was about how well we were doing. We were being recognized as more of a community event than just a biker party. It became more professional and organized, and the businesses in town really picked it up - they realized that advertising for a charity like this works, and it does. So the business community clicked in too, and it went from being a biker party to the community event it is now.

Peter McCully: And for folks who may think this is just another toy drive - over the years the Toy Run has raised more than $2 million in cash donations, Marnie, plus close to that value in toys. That's a staggering number, especially when you think this is a volunteer-run event.

Marnie Grimes: Yeah, I'm going to blow your mind a little and say we're actually over $3 million in cash, and just about that much in value of toys and other material things we give - hampers and food to the Salvation Army. And being run by volunteers, yes, there were moments I questioned my own sanity when you have 70 different personalities running around. But the wonderful thing about Toy Run is that we all have the same core belief, the same core love, the same core drive - and it's for the kids. You can take a million people, put them in the same room, and if they share that same vision and love for kids, it all works out.

Peter McCully: Perhaps you have a couple of stories that stick with you as to the impact the Port Alberni Toy Run has had on those in need over the years?

Marnie Grimes: Oh my goodness, there are so many stories, it's insane. Talking to our past chair, Dave Wiltshire, one of his favourite stories was about a little guy, about seven or eight, who came up with a little toy in his hand to donate it. Dave walked up to him and said, "Buddy, don't you want a toy?" He said, "Oh, I got a toy - I got a couple of toys last year, and they made me so happy, I wanted to give back to another little kid." When you have stories like that, ones that continue on and perpetuate volunteering and giving back, that's the core of why we do this. And there are so many touching stories. There are so many opportunities we've created in this town as well. We purchased children's dental equipment so people in our valley didn't have to leave the valley - all the tiny baby instruments for dental work - so these kids had the chance to be worked on in our community, instead of travelling an hour or two hours out to a bigger community.

Peter McCully: So for someone who hasn't been on the Port Alberni Toy Run, what exactly are the riders asked to bring along with them?

Marnie Grimes: We ask them to bring a great attitude, a lot of fun, and a new toy, because we give back to the kids throughout Winter Wonderland and the Christmas season. If you can't do a toy, then gift cards, cash, anything like that is definitely needed. Not only do we give out toys, candy, and food when it comes to winter - in November I got to sign $19,000 in cheques that went back to our School District 70 here in the Alberni Valley, supporting our culinary courses, our outdoor living courses, music, band. These are the courses I honestly believe save kids' lives - the classes that get them through some of the hardest years of their life - and we're lucky enough to be able to provide the equipment they need to do that.

Peter McCully: It's been a while since I've been on a ride myself, but I know as a spectator, it's a great time to just pull up a camp chair and sit somewhere and watch the procession. Where's a good spot for spectators to watch the event, and what are they asked to bring?

Marnie Grimes: Oh, that's a great question. When it comes to watching the ride, anywhere along Johnston, anywhere along Gertrude, and of course around the Harbour Quay, and all the way up Argyle and down 10th. I don't think there's a spot on that route where there isn't somebody sitting in a chair, or a kid on the street screaming at the bikes.

Peter McCully: Where do the toys and the money go once the weekend is over? You've mentioned several different avenues where you've given money - how do you decide which local kids' charities and programs get support each year? Does it change up?

Marnie Grimes: A lot of the same programs we definitely support over and over again - Breakfast Club, Backpacks, 4H. Most of the clubs or organizations that need help write in to us. Before COVID, everybody came in for a meeting and did a presentation - we like to meet the people we're donating to. We're a very close, tight-knit community group where we consider each other family, not just friends, so having that personal interaction with the people we're supporting is super important to us. COVID killed that a little, but we're getting it back - we love people coming in. Email us at patoyrun@gmail.com and we'll invite you to one of our meetings. Throughout this entire time, it's been the Alberni Valley that we've supported, which is phenomenal.

Peter McCully: If folks are wondering, the Toy Run operates as a BC-registered society and is run strictly by volunteers. You mentioned you have about 60 or 70 folks who are part of the Toy Run - do you need more volunteers than that for the actual weekend?

Marnie Grimes: Yes. It's amazing how things just come together. Seventy is a big number when it comes to members, yet our members put in 5,000 hours before the Toy Run even happens, at different events within the community - whether we're doing security, helping with parking at the drag races, running beer gardens for the ball teams, or whatever we can to raise money to put this event on. There are 4H, Scouts, wrestling, different sororities - they all come together and help us, mostly throughout the year. But when it comes to the weekend, it really takes a whole village of people - I'd say hundreds of people help us out.

Peter McCully: It's more than just a ride - it's a whole weekend. There's a show-and-shine, vendor booths, a Saturday night dance, a pancake breakfast on Sunday, and I understand there's a poker run too. Sounds like you've got a lot going on.

Marnie Grimes: This is the cool thing about the Port Alberni Toy Run - we're one of the only ones that's so fully packed into two days. I'd really like to extend it to a Friday night, but everybody keeps an eye on me about that, so we'll take things slow. We've got big trophy takeaways this year - I think we're at about 33 vendor booths. I've only been chair for two years; my predecessor, Dave Wiltshire, was chair for 14 years and did a fantastic job. I was lucky enough to be talked into this - I'm just kidding, I love what I do, and to represent such a cool organization is amazing. I have changed a few things, though. For the first time, on the Saturday night dance, we've brought in another organization in town called Battle of the Bands, for kids under 25 in music. The man it was named after, the Zadzoo Project, was actually a friend of mine - everything is really close in Port Alberni, everybody knows everybody. So this year we went to Battle of the Bands and picked a youth band to open for our Toy Run dance, so now we have the kids involved with the music too - it's really neat. Then the next morning is the Camp pancake breakfast, which is always so good and definitely needed after a night of dancing. The poker run is always one of my favourites - I took that over in 2019, and it's my baby, along with my girlfriend Carolyn. Last year the winning hand was worth about $1,800. We've changed things up - there's no set route anymore, but there are seven stops, including two wild-card stops. After everyone comes in, we get all the cards counted, and then we have a live auction with TVs, art, and other beautiful stuff. Of course the beer gardens are open, and there are still some vendors hanging around. Sunday usually wraps up around 5:00.

Peter McCully: You'll be pretty busy - will you have enough time to ride?

Marnie Grimes: Oh, yeah. I'll be riding in the actual ride itself, and then on Sunday I have to do the poker run - it's my favourite thing. I love the Toy Run, and to ride in it is something else - if you've never done it before, it's hard to talk about without getting emotional, but you see the love. The community comes out in droves; we have the biggest audience of any parade in this town. The support from the community and the kids is one of the main reasons we do this. When you ask what's changed over the years, lady riders is a big one. When I started there were maybe 10 or 15 of us - now there are hundreds. You see little girls on the side of the road going, "Look, Mom, a girl!" And it's like, yeah, you can do this too. That's really where I started, being a spokesperson for the Toy Run a few years ago, talking about women riders and empowering little girls and kids to come out, not only to be part of something cool but to give back to the community and learn how to be part of it. It's an absolutely phenomenal feeling to ride, so I'll never give that up - I'll keep riding for as long as I possibly can.

Peter McCully: As long as you can throw your leg over.

Marnie Grimes: That's right.

Peter McCully: What will you be riding?

Marnie Grimes: A 2010 Honda Fury. I love my bike - it's simple, no windshield. I always say it doesn't matter what you ride, as long as you ride, because it's about the culture of bikers, not about what you have between your legs. We have costume prizes on the Sunday for the poker run, but we also encourage people who don't have a bike to jump in on the Sunday - we have a couple of groups of women who get together, dress up, and go around doing the poker run, stopping at all the stops just like everybody else and having all the fun. It's a nice way for the community to get a little more involved.

Peter McCully: Well, if I can get a bike together before this happens, I guess I'll join you there.

Marnie Grimes: Oh my goodness, you absolutely have to.

Peter McCully: For anyone listening who wants to take part this year, Marnie, whether they want to ride, volunteer, or just drop off a toy - what's the easiest way for them to get all the information they need?

Marnie Grimes: Definitely hit our Facebook, PA Port Alberni Toy Run - we're on Instagram too, and we have our website as well. The ride starts at, I'd suggest people be in Little Qualicum Falls around 10:00 a.m. on the Saturday. The Black Powder Club has their big black powder cannon, which goes off around noon, fire-permitting - we have tons of fire suppression and safety measures in place, so it's usually fine. That kicks off the ride into town, and everything gets started. Sunday morning starts at 8:00 with the pancake breakfast - just show up at Glenwood.

Peter McCully: Best of luck, Marnie. Keep the shiny side up.

Marnie Grimes: Thank you so much for this.

Dave Graham: Marnie Grimes and the Port Alberni Toy Run. It all started with eight friends in 1984 - now $2 million raised and counting, with dental equipment, school programs, and band instruments all coming out of one very loud and very generous convoy. You'll find links to the Toy Run in our story notes at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Peter McCully: That kind of community math never stops being impressive, Dave.

Dave Graham: It really doesn't. Before we get to our next guest, a little housekeeping - we've added Vancouver Island webcam links and podcast links to our website, thepulsecommunity.ca, so now you can find other Vancouver Island podcasts as well as keep an eye on the roads.

Peter McCully: A reminder that you can also find us on Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube. We're also on Facebook and Instagram.

Dave Graham: If you have someone in mind that you think we should be talking to, please let us know - you can reach us and leave a voice or text message. We also accept comments, questions, constructive criticism, and compliments. Oh, and cake - here we are, new season, big celebration, and no cake. Head to our website, click on the contact link. You'll find us at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Thrifty Foods Parksville: At Thrifty Foods, we love to help nonprofits, charities, and schools. Our Thrifty Foods Smile Card bulk program allows organizations to immediately save up to 6% on the purchase of Smile Cards in bulk, allowing you to keep more money in your organization's pocket. Ask for details at Thrifty Foods in Parksville.

Tablet Pharmacy: Ever find yourself waiting endlessly at a big box pharmacy, feeling like just another number? There's a better way. At Tablet Pharmacy, they provide the personalized service you deserve. Check their competitive prices online at tabletpharmacy.ca before you even leave home. They offer free delivery and blister packaging options to make managing your medications easier than ever. With convenient locations in Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and now open in Nanaimo near The Brick, Tablet Pharmacy has been serving Vancouver Island since 2019. Stop being just a prescription number - experience the Tablet Pharmacy difference today. Visit them online and check their prices at tabletpharmacy.ca.

Dave Graham: Our next guest carries a story that has shaped this country for over 40 years. Let's get to it - here's Marilyn.

Marilyn: Darrell Fox was just 17 when he joined his brother Terry on the road for the final months of the 1980 Marathon of Hope. He went on to lead the Terry Fox Foundation for nearly two decades, including 13 years as national director, and still carries his brother's mission forward today. September 20th is the annual Terry Fox Run.

Peter McCully: Welcome to the podcast, Darrell.

Darrell Fox: Well, it's really good to be here, Peter.

Peter McCully: It's been a while since we bumped into each other - probably three, four years?

Darrell Fox: It doesn't seem that long, but your guess is probably better than mine. Time flies right now.

Peter McCully: It certainly does. My first question for you today was going to take you way back to 1980, when you joined your brother Terry on the road for his Marathon of Hope. What do you remember about the moment you made that decision?

Darrell Fox: What I remember most is that first day. The behind-the-scenes decision happened really quickly. Mom and Dad had gone up to Halifax around May 20th to try to resolve the differences between Terry and Dad, because if they didn't, there would have been a murder on the Marathon of Hope - which wouldn't have been great for publicity. The result was that they decided I should become the third member. I arrived on May 31st, 11 days later - got out of school early, loved that part, that was great. What I remember is that moment I saw Terry running. I'd witnessed many miles of training, because I trained with Terry a bit - not nearly as much, but I was running at that time. But to see him fulfilling a dream he'd prepared for over so many months and so many miles is etched in my brain forever. You could tell he was so driven - he always was - but this was the next level in terms of determination and drive to complete the Marathon of Hope. It was so awesome to see him that day.

Peter McCully: Terry started in St. John's, Newfoundland, and went through Nova Scotia. Where did you pick up the run?

Darrell Fox: In Saint John, New Brunswick.

Peter McCully: I saw Terry as he went through Sydney, Cape Breton - I was a very young reporter at the time. I was on the main street when he came through, and I'll never forget the reaction from the crowd, the folks applauding. What had so much impact on me was that Terry and I were the same age, and he was so focused on what he wanted to do.

Darrell Fox: Very focused. We seem to forget he wasn't very old - he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 18, and embarked on the Marathon of Hope at 21. But we don't see him that way, because his vision and maturity were those of someone much older. He knew what he wanted. It was a focused goal - it was always about raising more for cancer research, and that's what drove him. That came from his experience going through cancer at 18, and seeing the suffering of others.

Peter McCully: What's a memory of Terry away from the cameras, off the road - perhaps at the end of the day - that people don't usually hear about?

Darrell Fox: I was extremely young - only 17 when I joined up with Terry. I didn't have anything to offer, no skills, no resume, but I had a sense of humour. I've lost it since, but back then, in 1980, I had a sense of humour, and Terry had a better one. I knew how to read Terry - I knew the days were long and stressful and tense, and I knew when he was relaxed. That was our opportunity to just have some fun and fool around, so those are the memories I remember most. I obviously remember Terry running a marathon every day on an artificial leg, but the relaxing time when we could just be brothers, like being back in Poco at the house fooling around and enjoying ourselves - I think, I hope, that made things a little easier for Terry in what he was trying to accomplish every day.

Peter McCully: And how has the way Canadians show up for the run changed since the very first one?

Darrell Fox: That's a good question - it's evolved tremendously. The first run in '80/'81, which took place within months of Terry passing away, had hundreds of events and thousands of participants. Now there are hundreds of thousands of participants and 600 runs across the country - so it's growing. But the feeling is still the same. When you go to a Terry Fox Run, I have the same feeling I did back in the '80s: that feeling of coming together for a common cause, recognizing Terry, but also recognizing others who have lost their fight to cancer or who are alive today because of the investment we've made. It's just an incredible feeling being at a Terry Fox Run every year.

Peter McCully: Is there a story from a run somewhere in Canada, big or small, that's stayed with you over the years?

Darrell Fox: I cherish all the memories - the opportunities to participate in runs across the country and internationally. I'm a sponge for all things Terry and the stories I hear, and having the opportunity to meet those who have been through cancer and are alive today is something special. They're part of the Terry's Team program and wear their red T-shirts on run day, so they're easy to spot, because I know who they are and what they represent. It's so enjoyable to hear their stories, and that happens at every run site I attend every year.

Peter McCully: You've spent years as the National Director of the Terry Fox Foundation. How much has been raised over the years for cancer research?

Darrell Fox: Well, you might find this hard to believe, but last year we surpassed the $1 billion mark in funds raised. It's absolutely incredible how much has been raised in Terry's name, and that was during the 45th anniversary - a remarkable total.

Peter McCully: Wow. I met your mom at the very first Terry Fox Run in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and then years later I met her again on Salt Spring Island.

Darrell Fox: I've been to Salt Spring for a Terry Fox Run - it's a cool place to run, for sure.

Peter McCully: Yeah, they always have theirs a week early because of the fall fair.

Darrell Fox: That's right.

Peter McCully: Communities like ours here on Vancouver Island have volunteers who've organized their local runs every year, as you say, for decades. What do you want people like that to know?

Darrell Fox: How much we appreciate them - how thankful we are as a family for their efforts. The Terry Fox Run is a volunteer-driven entity. There's no staff involved in hosting or organizing a run, and there's no budget - I should add that too. They don't have a budget to organize a run, so they're totally dependent on the community to assist and support them. Runs are extremely successful because of the giving nature of people across this country who support our organizers. We call them Terry Foxers, and we can't thank them enough. That's what I appreciate most - the opportunity to visit communities. I was in Halifax recently, and it was awesome. Once people join, they never go away. Last year was a milestone - 45 years - and the number of people who have their 45-year certificate, having participated every single year, is incredible. We have organizers like that too.

Peter McCully: You've mentioned that hundreds of thousands of people come out for the run every year. What would you say to someone who's thinking about joining a run for the very first time this year?

Darrell Fox: The title is always a bit misleading - it's called the Terry Fox Run because Terry ran, but it's anything but a run. Just showing up and crossing the start line is what counts. Just being there is what counts, and raising money is what counts. So don't be intimidated by the title - come out, and I'm sure you'll have an incredible experience being with people who give. I say this all the time: Terry attracts the best people. He really does, and that's what you'll find when you come to a Terry Fox Run. You'll have an incredible experience, and you'll meet incredible people too.

Peter McCully: I wanted to ask you about a new documentary you've been working on, ready for release, called Run, Terry, Run. What was it like seeing footage of your brother that even you had never seen before?

Darrell Fox: No words, Peter, to describe it. Sean Lennard, the director, found gold - he really did. Ninety-three reels of never-seen-before footage, and guess what? It was under our noses for four decades, sitting in our storage facilities. Whenever there was a new production in the works - for example, Steve Nash: Into the Wind in 2010 - we'd send Steve and his team to the storage facility and say, "Help yourself." They never located this footage. Sean was like a dog on a bone - he noticed the mislabelling. He was looking for four reels in particular, and he found 93. It's footage that's never been seen, and it's hard to describe what it's like to watch it. I think this is probably the greatest project I've ever been involved in, and I've been involved with a few over the years. It's two hours of Terry - we've had a showing already, and you get a real sense of who Terry Fox is from watching it. It's almost like you're in the van, back in 1980, watching him, seeing him, experiencing the euphoria of Terry running the Marathon of Hope. It's absolutely incredible. It's making an appearance at TIFF, and then it'll have a run in Cineplex theatres starting October 9th.

Peter McCully: You're one of the voices telling Terry's story in the film, I understand, rather than using a traditional narrator like Dave or me.

Darrell Fox: That's where it goes downhill pretty quickly.

Peter McCully: But that must have been very emotional.

Darrell Fox: It was incredibly emotional. I shared those duties with Doug Alward, who was Terry's best friend and was there for every mile of the Marathon of Hope, and also Leslie Scrivener, Terry's biographer, who wrote Terry Fox: His Story in 1981 - so we shared duties there. Sean was brilliant in his approach - you don't see me, which is very good, so you hear my voice, but it has a way of not dating the production, since you're not seeing these older people talking about Terry. The way he brought the story out, asking us all the same question and then putting the pieces together - Doug says something, then I follow, then Leslie - it works quite well. I think it would be better without me, but the reality is, I was there in 1980. It was an incredible project to be part of. My challenge starting October 9th, while it's running in Cineplex theatres, is how many theatres I can get to before it stops running. I don't just want to watch it again and again - I want to go and watch people take it in. That's the experience I'm after - I'm going to be going to theatres and just sitting there taking it all in. I say all the time that I don't live in the past, but I go back there every day. It's a nice place to live.

Peter McCully: And the other side of that, of course, is that if you're sitting in a theatre taking in the movie, you're taking it in with an audience, and you get to see their reaction.

Darrell Fox: Exactly. Sean was really hopeful it would go this route, where we could get it into a theatre setting. Watching it at home with your family would absolutely be an incredible experience too - I'll mention that there was a movie in 1981, an HBO movie, that also had a bit of a theatre run. I thought this might have been the first movie or documentary to have a theatre run, but that one did as well - though that was 45 years ago. So this is an incredible opportunity for Terry Fox's story to be put on the big screen, for people to get together and watch it.

Peter McCully: And I understand there's a musical contribution from Bryan Adams.

Darrell Fox: It really works, actually. The song has grown on me - we've been aware of it for a couple of months now. It really helps having that footage behind it to add something, and it's a brilliant song that really works with the footage. It's unbelievable how many songs have come our way over the years, and we're really touched and moved by all of them.

Bryan Adams Song – Run, Terry, Run: The wind was cold-

Peter McCully: What do you hope is in the documentary, Darrell, that gives people some backstory they might not already know about Terry?

Darrell Fox: The odour in the van was something to behold - it shouldn't be a surprise, given Terry was running a Marathon of Hope. I was wearing shoes without socks, so I was contributing to the odour as well. It was stinky, but it gave Terry privacy, and it really worked. I think what you're going to draw from this is that Terry was just like you and me - he was pretty average. What he accomplished, and how he accomplished it, you're really going to get a sense of how difficult it was, how tense it was every day, and how Terry really took on the impossible. Bring lots of Kleenex, but I think it would be hard to walk away and not be inspired. It'll be difficult.

Peter McCully: Darrell, last time we chatted we talked about the fact that there are more than 50,000 items in the Marathon of Hope archives and Terry's personal collection, all in storage at that time. What's been happening with all of that?

Darrell Fox: Well, you might find this hard to believe, but since we last talked about it, I'm now able to sleep at night, because we've signed an agreement with the Royal BC Museum - a 20-year agreement. They'll manage and store the collection, which is a little better than a storage locker for Terry's memorabilia. So that's the really great news - the collection will be protected for a long time. We're always still looking for opportunities to display the artifacts, which is why I was in Halifax, actually - the van is on display at the Steel Wheels Museum there. We all have our date stamps; we're not going to be around forever, so how do we continue to share the story? That van, without being able to speak, communicates the story very effectively. Whenever I'm around it, I see myself in it - I see the mornings, getting up at 4:30. Terrible, for a 17-year-old. Somehow we managed to get up, and I see Terry curled up in the fetal position on the bed, which is a couch that pulls out behind Doug and me. Doug's driving - you'd think Terry's asleep, but he's awake, he's just preparing. It's like he's preparing for game seven every day - he knows he's going to have to get out in a few minutes, at 5:00 in the morning, and run 42 kilometres. That's the first memory I have when I'm in that van. That's the experience I have.

Peter McCully: If Terry could see where the Marathon of Hope has led - the run, the research, this film - what do you think he'd say?

Darrell Fox: He'd be so happy that we're continuing. I'm not a big fan of the word "finish," because I think the Marathon of Hope continues. I'd like to end cancer, eradicate cancer - that's the ultimate goal - but I'll always see Terry as continuing to run. I think he'd be over-the-moon ecstatic that here we are, 46 years removed from the Marathon of Hope, and if anything, this dream is even more vibrant, more real, and more out there. So he'd be a pretty happy person right now.

Peter McCully: Darrell, what's one thing you hope people take away from Terry's story that has absolutely nothing to do with cancer or cancer research at all?

Darrell Fox: Something I've said over the years is that limitations are self-imposed. That's what I've gained from being around Terry as much as I have, and from being there in 1980. He took on the impossible and proved that it can be done, and that's what I believe. I'm still trying to find the answer to how he did it - I'll never have that answer. He was athletic, but he wasn't a gifted athlete. He overcame his limitations by just trying his very best, and that's the message I think we can all take and learn from. We can set our goals high, each and every one of us. The only thing limiting us is our ability to try - and try is inherent in Terry.

Dave Graham: Darrell Fox, carrying his brother's mission forward for over 40 years now. It's hard to think of a story that means more to this country. I remember participating in the very first annual Terry Fox Run - that's starting to be quite a long time ago now. You'll find details on the Terry Fox Run at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Peter McCully: Our Skookum Kids Stories feature Captain Dave and his first mate, Larry the Lobster, aboard the Mellow Submarine, and Peter and Gracie the Eskimo Dog. Our Kids Stories now offer colouring pages to go along with each new episode.

Dave Graham: In this week's episode of Peter and Gracie, the two have an adventure in a corn maze.

Peter McCully: And our Radio Archaeology classic radio series features original episodes of Dragnet, featuring Sergeant Joe Friday, and Gunsmoke, featuring Marshal Matt Dillon.

Dave Graham: As part of our PULSE Community podcasts, we invite you to join Cindy Thompson of Parksville for A Resilience Project. In the latest episode, Cindy speaks with Jess Van Zyl, author, sportswoman, and adventurer. At the age of 21, Jess needed to make one of the biggest decisions of her life - have an eye removed, or face death within five years. Jess reveals how she's navigated life on her own terms.

Peter McCully: And in this week's edition of Too Old or Movie Gold, Peter Kent of Qualicum Beach, Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double, sits down with the review team to talk about True Lies. Lots of behind-the-scenes stories in this episode, folks.

Dave Graham: You'll find these podcasts and more at thepulsecommunity.ca.

Peter McCully: And while you're on the website, sign up for our weekly newsletter - it'll keep you up to date on the latest podcasts, guests, and contests.

Dave Graham: And that's a wrap on the Season 3 premiere.

Peter McCully: It is. Thank you for spending some time with us - we really appreciate it, and we're glad to have you along for another season.

Dave Graham: Here's to Season 3, everybody. Although I'm still waiting on my new nameplate for my desk, my parking sign, and - hey, what about the cake? Any luck with the cake? Peter, your face tells me no. This could put the next episode in jeopardy. How am I supposed to work under these conditions?

Peter McCully: Dave, your endurance is inspiring. You've got a lot of confidence for someone who records from a basement.

Dave Graham: That's the Multimedia Entertainment Lounge Studio Facility, thank you, of which I am the primary senior operations manager. Yeah, so there. Thanks for listening, folks - we'll see you next week. No, seriously, Peter, where's the cake?

Rockin' Rhonda & The Uptown Blues Band: Here comes Peter, here comes Dave, oh listen. Bringing stories, making waves, no missing. Spinning tales in the podcast cave, so to speak. Laughs and insights everywhere - what a treat. Peter and Dave, they're on the mics. All right, join the ride. It's gonna feel just right.