Holy Cross CSS staff go the distance in Terry Fox tribute marathon

Large group photo of students and staff on a football field at a school.

Oct. 14, 2025

In the true spirit of Terry Fox’s legacy, staff from Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough laced up their running shoes for a marathon unlike any other — a more than 50-kilometre journey connecting schools across the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board.

The marathon route stretched from St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood to Holy Cross CSS, linking each family of schools along the way. The idea was inspired by Terry Fox’s own run through the Peterborough area in 1980, when he began his day in Havelock and finished in Peterborough.

Runners are met by cheering spectators along the roadside.

“It’s been amazing to see so many staff work together in order to reach this goal,” Stacy Higgins, Curriculum Chair in Canadian, World and Social Studies at Holy Cross CSS and organizer of the marathon. “Through various fundraising initiatives such as online donations, a dress down week and Ms. Butell’s cosmetology class designing Holy Cross  t-shirts and fun Terry Fox inspired designs, we were able to “Finish It” again this year surpassing our goal. (totals are still in process).”  

Each year, the Holy Cross CSS community sets a fundraising goal for the Terry Fox Foundation, motivated by creative and often courageous incentives from staff. 

Last year, staff camped overnight on the school’s football field after raising more than $16,000, earning the school an impressive eighth-place ranking for Terry Fox fundraising nationwide.

This year, inspired by the Terry Fox Foundation’s “Finish It” campaign and the 45th anniversary of Terry’s Marathon of Hope, the school set a goal of $17,000.

If students reached that target, staff pledged to complete a relay-style marathon to honour Terry’s journey.

Not only did they reach their goal — they went above and beyond. 

Runners jogging through a school parking lot while students cheer them on.

Staff members ran the 50 km route together, joined by Director of Education Stephen O’Sullivan and Holy Cross CSS Principal Natalie Bittner, who completed the final leg of the marathon from St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School to Holy Cross.

As an added incentive, several staff members also volunteered to have their heads shaved later this week in celebration of the achievement.

 

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