Your School Run “How To’s”…

How does it work?

Your Terry Fox School Run will build fantastic school spirit while fundraising for cancer research. It can take shape in the form of a tried and true, traditional Terry Fox Run around the track, a neighbourhood walk, a bake sale, a Terry Fox movie day or anything else! Every school brings its own unique spirit and interests, and we encourage you to create an event that reflects your community best. Each school is encouraged to fundraise to whatever level they are comfortable with, but of course, we hope you will set a fundraising goal and do your very best, just like Terry did.

Sign up your school today and receive a complimentary Terry Fox Toolkit filled with promotional materials. We’ll email you a customized online fundraising link for your school along with access to our online resources including morning announcements, videos, virtual meetup invites, lesson plans and more!

Quick Links to Handy Resources

We hope these resources are of help to you but don’t forget that we’re here to help you as well. You can find your Regional School Development Officer here or go to our FAQ’s more info.

How to get started

Step 1:

Select your School Run date and share it with your fundraising page link to your school community. This year’s Run is scheduled for Friday, September 27, but you are welcome to hold your event on any day that works for your school. To change your Run date or make any other edits to your school’s fundraising page, click here.

Step 2:

Set a fundraising goal and display it on the large goal poster found in your Toolkit that will be shipped to you in early September or soon after you sign up. Watch the excitement build as your posters are displayed and you work your way to your goal. Terry set goals every day. What will yours be?

Step 3:

Empower students to get on board! Recruit some student leaders to help make morning announcements, hang posters, create a Terry Fox display or set up an assembly. The sky’s the limit! See our brand new Student Leadership Guides for more info.

Scroll down for more information on how to fundraise, order t-shirts, plan a Challenge, or work with student leaders. You can also check out our quick video, “Run Organizer Webinar” for a detailed walk through.

How to fundraise...

Online fundraising...

It’s easy, paperless and donors are emailed receipts immediately. It also reduces our administrative costs so we can pass on more funds to cancer research!

Simply share your link on social media, by email or on your website. Find your school fundraising page here. Students and classrooms can also create pages under your school page for a friendly competition and earn Terry Fox achievement badges.

Watch our full library of Online Fundraising videos for more info.

Offline fundraising...

This method is optional for all schools. You can even fundraise using both online and offline methods.

Distribute pledge sheets to your students for them to take home for their collection of cash or cheque donations. Deposit all funds received from them into your school bank account and send us a school cheque for the full amount along with any completed pledge sheets that need to be receipted.

See our FAQ’s or back side of our Post Run Form for more info.

SchoolCash Online...

If your school uses “SchoolCash Online” to collect Terry Fox Run donations or t-shirt orders, templates are now being provided by SchoolCash Online for you.

To collect donations, go to the SchoolCash catalog and select “Browse Templates” to find us. Follow the prompts to share your school’s fundraising page link that we have created for your school, directly into your template.   

To collect t-shirt orders, select the template and share with your school. Orders collected through SchoolCash Online do not flow directly to the Terry Fox Foundation and must be submitted to us in bulk on the Foundation online SHOP page. For full instructions, click here.

How to order Terry Fox T-shirts

Ordering Terry Fox t-shirts is an awesome way to boost your fundraising! All merchandise sales are added to your school’s fundraising total as the proceeds support cancer research as well. This year’s t-shirt features the tagline #NoMatterWhat, celebrating Terry’s unwavering determination, no matter the challenges or circumstances, when running his iconic Marathon of Hope in 1980.

To collect orders from students:

  1. Share this Student Order Form with your school community (or use the SchoolCash Online system to collect orders if your school has it enabled)
  2. Once you have collected all your orders, place your bulk school order at shop.terryfoxschools.org and enter the quantity of each size you wish to order. 
  3. Payment can be made at time of ordering by credit card or you can select the “Invoice My School” option and send us a combined school cheque of donations and merchandise payment, or separate school/donation cheques once your school Run is complete.
  4. Orders are processed within a few days and will include the invoice/confirmation.
  5. Please note that donations cannot be used to pay for the purchase of merchandise ordered.


Shirt Colour/Language:
Navy Blue/English or French.
100% cotton, crew neck tee.
Sizing Chart

How to plan a Terry Fox Challenge

Throwing out a “Terry Fox Challenge” to your students is a great way to boost your fundraising and build fantastic school spirit! Set and fundraising goal and commit to a fun promised activity to your students if you reach it. Need some inspiration? Check out our suggested list of activities or create your own and announce it to your whole school community by email, on your website or social media. Tell us about your Challenge and we’ll enter your school into a random draw to win a collection of vintage Terry t-shirts for all of your students. T-shirts will be awarded in every province!

IF… we raise 5% more than last year,
then… everyone gets a no homework weekend 

IF… we raise $2,500,
then… teachers will have to dress up as superheroes 

IF… we raise $1,000,
then… we will have a pajama day

How to Empower Student Leaders

Look inside your Toolkit for our brand-new Student Leadership guide for elementary or high school students! Terry Fox set in motion an unstoppable movement of selflessness and compassion, proving there is no age requirement to be a leader in this world.

We love to see students following in his footsteps by taking ownership of their School Run and leading the way, just like Terry did. Students will build essential leadership skills while making a fantastic impact on cancer research. The future of cancer research continues to look so bright when we have students leading the way!

Be sure to check out our Student Leadership webpage to access:

Leadership Guides

Student Leadership Certificates

Student Activities

Assembly Resources

Virtual Terry Classroom

How to Kick off with a Virtual presentation

Inspire your students to go the distance with a virtual presentation by one of our guest speakers. Our dynamic presenters will share Terry’s message of hope along with their own personal connection to Terry. Join other schools coast to coast to coast for an engaging presentation that ends with a live Q & A for students to take part in. Don’t delay, sign up today for your complimentary presentation.

Book a Virtual Presentation 

How to Wrap Things Up

Don’t forget to celebrate your success! Start by posting a huge thank you on your social media and blast it over the P.A. Make sure all participants and volunteers are thanked and recognized. Perhaps a wrap up assembly is in order to celebrate your Terry Fox Challenge to make good on that promise you made if you reached your goal! Share your fundraising grand total far and wide for all to see and be proud of. We sure are!

Merci!

Merci de votre intérêt à rencontrer Fred Fox. Revenez nous voir ce printemps pour un calendrier mis à jour.

Sign up to be a Student Leader!

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