Thousands of local residents took to the streets on Sunday to raise money for cancer research.
The 39th annual Terry Fox Run took place in five communities, including Dresden, where 342 participants raised $35,780.90.
"That's a really good number for us," said Dresden volunteer organizer Cindy Brewer. "Last year we finished with $35,850. We still have money coming in so we're going to surpass last year, so we're super excited about that. Our participant's levels were up this year, we were shooting for 350 and we got 342, so we are really happy with that."
Dresden is always one of the top fundraising runs in Ontario, and Brewer said the town is dedicated to the event and the cause.
"When the run day gets here, the participants that come in are just so passionate about it, they just, they own it," she said. "I don't know how else to describe it, it's such an inspirational day."
In Blenheim, around 300 participants raised $25,000, Tilbury had approximately 60 people and 40 volunteers raised $22,036.10. In Chatham, 62 people and 30 volunteers raised $5,145, and in Wallaceburg, over 125 people raised more than $19,000 which is up about $7,000 compared to 2018.
All of the money raised goes to cancer research.
"What's great about the Terry Fox Foundation is they keep their admin costs as low as they possibly can," said Brewer. "Last year the final totals were 79-cents of every dollar goes directly into cancer research. Not a lot of high admin costs, not a lot of corporate costs."
The Terry Fox Run is an annual event held in commemoration of Canadian cancer activist Terry Fox, and his Marathon of Hope.