A dramatic reading of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, A Christmas Carol, has been a festive family favourite in the township of Wilmot for many years, with proceeds from the production being donated to local causes.

2021 was the first year the event was organized by the Wilmot Terry Fox Run, which Nigel and Cheryl Gordijk have led since 2013.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding in-person events due to COVID and public health, the show was pre-recorded and broadcast on Facebook. The audience was asked to show their appreciation by donating online to the Wilmot Terry Fox Run, with all proceeds going to the Terry Fox Foundation for cancer research. You can donate at Wilmot Christmas Carol | Terry Fox Fundraising.

We're pleased to present to you a special audio version of A Christmas Carol.

The performance took place at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hamburg. The readers are Nicole Lee Quesnel, Adrienne Enns, Brittlestar, Alison Enns, and Reid Spencer. Musical performances are by The Weber Family, Reid Spencer and Jamie Courtney, and Alison and Adrienne Enns. Technical production was by Rick Ritz, and Lisa Hagen was the producer and director.

We were honoured to have Terry's brother Darrell Fox as our guest, and we asked him questions that had been submitted by Wilmot residents. Thank you to Susan Sutherland, Ginny Dybenko, Chris Ehrat, Harold O'Krafka, and students from Forest Glen P.S. in New Hamburg.

In 1981, the documentary "Terry Fox: I Had a Dream" was released. It follows Terry's journey in 1980 as he ran the "Marathon of Hope", and it's an intimate portrait of Terry and the people around him. I had the great pleasure of speaking with the man who made that film, John Simpson, from his home in Costa Rica.

Leslie Scrivener is a former Toronto Star reporter, and author of "Terry Fox His Story". She was one of the first journalists to cover the Marathon of Hope, and she spoke with us about how she came to work on the story, where Terry found his inspiration, the historical context of his run, and her favourite memories.

Introduction from "Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters"

Donna Ball was a friend and is a long-time supporter of Terry, his dream, and his legacy. A lifelong volunteer for many organizations, including the Terry Fox Foundation, she is enjoying retirement and diving into creative writing.

"Terry and I met in St. John's, where I was living and he was visiting, in the summer of 1978. When he returned to B.C., I wrote him a letter. We corresponded as pen pals through the spring of 1979 from the bookends of this great country. Here is...a letter I wrote to him on the fortieth anniversary of his Marathon of Hope."

Bill Vigars had an important role in the Marathon of Hope. In 1980, he acted as Terry Fox's public relations organizer, and they became close friends. We are honoured that he joined us from his home in Whiterock, British Columbia to share his memories of Terry, key events during the Marathon of Hope, and the time he was played onscreen by Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall!