A Second World War veteran is getting closer to hitting his $1 million fundraising mark for the Terry Fox Foundation.
Will Dwyer has been organizing “We WILL Walk” for the past 39 years, but due to the 94-year-olds deteriorating health, there’s a bigger push this year to help him hit that goal.
Early Saturday morning, a group left the Borden Legacy Park on a 20 kilometer walk to the Barrie Cenotaph in order to raise funds for the foundation. Twenty-two firefighters from Base Borden, who were wearing their full bunker gear and breathing apparatus’, also participated.
Dwyer’s son Robert is a deputy platoon chief with the department and has been helping his dad’s cause for years.
At the start of the walk, Dwyer’s almost four-decade quest had raised over $938,000. But as his son pointed out, there may be more donations to come.
“We got some donations today,” he said. “At the start and the finish—we haven’t totaled them up, but they’re still in the boots.”
Other people participating in the walk were collecting donations in bright red buckets.
Will Dwyer told CTV News Toronto he is thankful for the efforts of everyone who volunteered.
“The firefighters and everybody are fantastic. They’re doing a wonderful job, going out of their way to help, and I really appreciate that.”
While the walk didn’t quite reach the one million dollar goal, Dwyer is ready for when it happens.
“If I reach the million dollars before the run this year, whatever’s coming in, I’ll try for the second million next year.”
