For the third straight year, Dresden has finished number one in the province for average money raised during the Terry Fox Run.
Volunteer organizer Cindy Brewer said she couldn't be more proud of the community for raising $34,727.05 in 2017, which works out to an average of $13.88 per person.
"They are an incredible bunch," Brewer said. "There's nothing like being at the run that day and all the hugs, the tears and the laughs. It's a very emotional day."
Brewer said she has been on the committee since it started 23 years ago. When asked to explain Dresden's success, she said she couldn't.
"I really wish that I knew," she said. "We meet with other organizers and try to give tips to finding that magic thing you can do to make your run successful, but there's just not one particular thing."
Brewer said the excitement experienced around the run is very contagious and takes over the community like an epidemic of positive energy. The only reason Brewer could give as to why everyone gets so into it is many residents have been affected by cancer. She added the fact $0.83 from every $1 donated to The Terry Fox Foundation goes directly to research.
"In my mind when I am looking at a charity that I want to support, I want to know that the money is going into the hands of the researchers," she said.
Brewer said she can't take all of the credit for the municipalities success either. She thanked the rest of her committee, some of which have been there from the start as well.
"They were really excited when they saw we were number one again," she said. "Without even missing a beat they're already figuring out how we're going to hold on to it for one more year."
Dresden wasn't the only Chatham-Kent community to make the top ten, either. Blenheim finished ninth in the province, averaging $6.69 per capita.
