Keeping Terry Fox’s legacy alive

By Lethbridge Herald on August 6, 2025.

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

Austin Moloughney couldn’t let the annual Terry Fox Run fade into oblivion, so when he heard organizers were looking at calling it quits last year, he stepped up to keep the event alive.

Now in his second year organizing the run, which is set for Sunday, Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. in Legacy Park, Moloughney is not only trying to  generate support for that event but he’s also raising funds for a climb up Mount Terry Fox in Valemount, B.C., northwest of Jasper.

The annual Mount Terry Fox Trek is another fundraiser for the Terry  Fox Foundation and Moloughney will be with a team of other Lethbridge residents taking on the challenges.

The trek is “a fundraising event where hikers explore magnificent trails featuring alpine streams, stunning wildflower meadows and  breathtaking views,” says the Terry Fox Foundation.

Trekkers can choose from three routes – all led by a local guide – with different lengths and elevations.

The shortest has a distance of three kilometres with an elevation gain of 250 metres, which is ideal for beginner hikers or family groups.

The second route second goes a total distance of 12 km with an  elevation gain of 950 metres.

The Terry Fox Summit trek will cover 19.5 kilometres with an elevation  gain of 1,872 metres and is for experienced hikers. This trek will take highers between 10 to 12 hours to complete and it’s the one  Moloughney is tackling.

Interested trekkers or donors can find the information they need to  participate at https://events.terryfox.ca/

To financially support Moloughney, people can go to  https://events.terryfox.ca/page/austin25.

Participants in the local run will recognize Moloughney from his role  as sponsoring photographer for the past few years.

Last year’s run at Legacy generated about $11,000 and so far $565 of the 2025 goal of $7,900 has been raised.

Registration for the local run will start at 10 a.m. at the Legacy picnic shelter with the run going at 11 a.m.

Raising funds for the run has become a challenge, says Moloughney, noting that if everyone here contributed a dollar, the run would  generate more than $100,000.

“Medicine Hat last year was able to raise about $24,000 compared to Lethbridge’s $11,000,” he noted.

The Mount Terry Fox Trek, Moloughney says, is another organized event  for the Fox foundation.

While he’s reached his goal of $200 for the trek, Moloughney will gladly accept any donations people are willing to offer to help the foundation in its goal of raising money for cancer research.

With one year behind him running the local event, Moloughney is  hopeful September’s run  will be more successful. More details on the  run can be found at https://run.terryfox.ca/92881