Community involvement integral to success of first annual Terminator Run
By Mallory Cawthra
September 25, 2021, marked The First Annual 5km Terminator Run for Youth Addiction Awareness for the Town of Leader. In total, 78 participants laced up their sneakers and sponsors from 50 local individuals and businesses contributed to the event’s success.
Organizer Laura Henderson, a resident of Leader and mental health advocate, is eight years sober and credits running with building up her self-confidence. Henderson said her self-esteem was so depleted and the shame and guilt of addiction was so strong, that she felt like she was “living with a shadow.” She felt like everyone could see what she felt, and she was the only one. Still, once she started talking openly to people in the community about her addiction and recovery, she discovered many others related or knew others struggling too. Three years into her recovery, she started running, and she hasn’t stopped since.
Henderson explained that “Collaboration and community are important and go hand in hand,” and stated that the community helped her through her recovery, and she was inspired to give back. She is also a brain aneurysm survivor, completing a half marathon seven months after having surgery. She said it was emotional due to her addiction and recovery and surviving something.
Henderson was inspired to organize the Terminator Run in Leader after learning about the event online through the Calgary-based not-for-profit Terminator Foundation. She contacted Founder Vanisha Breault and expressed her interest in starting the run in Leader. “Running brings us together,” Henderson said, a sentiment echoed by the Terminator Foundation website: “The annual 5 km run for youth addiction awareness brings our community together to shed light on the pressing issue of addiction and mental health.” The Terminator Foundation website highlights physical exercise and community engagement as integral to strengthening recovery through a continuum of care model.
Henderson said the mental health crisis is everywhere, and she added that more programs are needed, and everyone needs to pull together. She is looking forward to the Terminator Run next year and watching the community come together. She hopes the momentum continues to build, and running is a catalyst in the community to create awareness and open the dialogue for those impacted by addiction.
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