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Many in motion

Although he wasn’t present, Rick Hansen’s message of accessibility for all Canadians was carried throughout Thunder Bay.
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Joey Desjardins heads down the hill of the Terry Fox Lookout on Jan. 8, 2011. (Jeff Labine, tbnewswatch.com)

Although he wasn’t present, Rick Hansen’s message of accessibility for all Canadians was carried throughout Thunder Bay.

Hundreds watched from the sidelines as participants cycled and ran down Red River Road on Sunday for the 25th Anniversary of the Rick Hansen Relay. The relay started at the Terry Fox Lookout and continued down to Fort William Road, then up to Bay Street and finally ending at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. 

About 20 medal bearers helped carry the Rick Hansen Medal from the lookout to the Community Auditorium. One of those medal bearers was Juanita Lawson.

Lawson along with John Friday and Rick Foreman carried the medal for the first leg of the relay.

Lawson, who heard about the chance to be a part of the relay on the radio, said it was a great chance to help a good cause.

“I’m so excited,” Lawson said before the relay began. “Hearing the story of Rick Hansen just inspired us again on what we’re here for. This is just about raising awareness about people in terms of their abilities and looking at how we can all make a difference.”

Starting at the monument, Lawson said she felt inspired by the determination of both Fox and Hansen.

She added that she hoped to do the same and inspire others to help in the community.

Joey Desjardins also helped to carry the medal. Desjardins, who uses a wheelchair, participated in the relay in October and went from Fredericton, N.B. to Ottawa. For his second time around, he will travel from Thunder Bay to Winnipeg – a trip that’s more than 690 kilometres long.

The 25-year-old from the Ottawa region said he never gave the opportunity any second thought and immediately volunteered to do the relay.

“They got me out again so I guess they really like me,” Desjardins said. “Today is one day and two weeks from now I’m going to be flying home.”

He said what makes the experience worthwhile is the people that he meets and the challenges they overcome.

Jamie Levchuk, managing director of the relay, said the whole experience has been going well since it started 138 days ago. The relay is meant to bring awareness to accessibility issues as well as raise money for spinal cord research. But over the past 25 years, the Rick Hansen Foundation has raised about $250 million.

As it’s the 25th anniversary of the relay, Levchuk said they thought it would be a good idea to celebrate the milestone by taking the man in motion tour and making it into a many in motion relay.

“We want to find those Canadians that really showed the same values that Rick did 25 years ago,” Levchuk said. “As we go through 600 communities nationwide, we’re looking for those location champions.”

The relay will continue on Tuesday through the city to various schools and organizations and end at Kakabeka Falls Public School.
The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay started on the East Coast in August and will end on the West Coast on May 22, 2012.

 





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