Run for Light is a fundraising and awareness event in support of the work of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). O’Leary is the only Maritime community still hosting the event. Last year close to 80 participants took part, and organizers are expecting an even larger turn-out this year.
Norman and Joyce MacDougall, owners of Greenspot Auto Sales in Knutsford, have been the event’s sponsors from the very beginning.
The MacDougalls acknowledge the CNIB occupies a special place in their hearts. Both of their adult sons were born blind and have benefitted from the programs and services offered by the CNIB.
For the event’s first 29 years Greenspot offered a bicycle as a door prize draw. Once the event turned 30, they’ve offered three bikes a year and, this year, for the 35th anniversary, Greenspot has put up four bikes ranging from youth to adult sizes. Everyone who registers for the run will receive four ballots and they can load all of their ballots into the ballot box for the bike they most want to win, or distribute their ballots into all four boxes.
Registration for the run will be held at the O’Leary Town Complex Sunday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. The run, with RCMP escort, leaves from the Town Complex at 7 p.m. The circuit will take participants back to the complex for draws and refreshments. All proceeds from the Run for Light will be donated to the CNIB.
