The 29th Annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research will take place this Sunday, September 13, and again this year, Dufferin County will have runs in Orangeville, Shelburne and Grand Valley.

For the previous 28 years, hundreds of Dufferin residents have turned up annually for the runs and in the process raised more than $400,000 to aid the ongoing fight against cancer.

This year, the weather is expected to be ideal for the runs, the forecast calling for a mix of sun and clouds and a high temperature of about 20º C.

Last year, despite the threat of downpours and high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ike, 145 took part in the Orangeville run and raised another $10,784 with the assistance of many volunteers and support from Watermaker, Zehrs, Metro, Sobey's Price Chopper, No Frills, Dods & NcNair and Orangeville Window and Doors.

The Orangeville Run site will be similar to those in past years, with the start and finish this year at the Jean Hamlyn Day Care Centre on McCarthy Street.

Mark Whitcombe, organizer of the Orangeville run, said the 10 km and 5 km courses will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will both be accessible to runners, walkers, cyclists, in-line skaters and wheelchairs.

Mr. Whitcombe said the 10 km route will include Clara, Centre and Hillside Streets, Centennial Road, C Line, Townline, and take the participants back through town past Orangeville District Secondary School.

He said the 5 km route will take the participants via Parkview, Lawrence, Madison and Centre St.

A limited numbers of the 2009 Terry Fox Run Tshirts will be available @ $17 for adult sizes and $15 for children's sizes.

Pledge forms are available at several locations including Scotiabank, TDCanada Trust branches, Bank of Montreal, LCBO, grocery stores, Watermaker, BookLore, Moccaberry, medical offices, Sanderson Sports and Esso gas stations. Alternatively, you can access an online pledge sheet at www.terryfoxrun .org .

Mr. Whitcombe said he hopes to have at least as many volunteers as the 45 who turned up last year. Those interested in volunteering can reach him at 519-941- 9966.

In Shelburne, plans for the run were on hold until last Thursday, when Joan Wallace agreed to take on the thankless task of organizer.

Since then she has obtained the promise of help from her employer, the local Royal Bank branch, Pete's Donuts and several volunteers, but would greatly appreciate more area residents volunteering by calling 519- 925-5221 and, if necessary, leaving a message.

Shelburne's 10k and 5k runs, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, both start and finish at the curling club on O'Flynn Street. Both routes take participants along William, Robert, Park, Fiddle Park and Greenwood streets. From there, the 5k participants will go west on Main Street, right on Gordon, right on Fourth Ave. and left on Owen Sound Street.

The 10k route goes east along Main to Simon Street, left along Old School Road, right on Dufferin Road 11 to Victoria Street, up to Main, left to Gordon, left along Fourth past the high school, along Cedar Street, Birch Grove and Cedar, Marie to the laneway through to Fourth, left to Owen Sound Street and back to the starting point.

At Grand Valley, the run starts at the Community Centre, taking place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Participants will head south on Main to Amaranth, west along Leeson to the trail, and west as far as the first sideroad. That completes a 5 k run, and those wishing to do 10k just follow the same route back to the community centre.

A pledge form, sponsored by Dod's and McNair Funeral Home and Chapel, can be found below.