Jordan’s legacy lives on with Run the Runway

London, Ont. -

It’s a fun run in honour of a young man who loved running around and having fun.

Jordan Strickland passed away in 2014 after a tragic car crash. The 27 year old who needed support for his mobility and communication challenges, was a camper and volunteer at the YMCA and Camp Queen Elizabeth for much of his life.

After he died, his family established Jordan’s Run the Runway at the London International Airport.

“Some friends persuaded us to do something in his honour and in his memory and we naturally thought of Camp Queen Elizabeth because it was his total favourite thing to do in the world,” says Jordan’s mother, Janice Strickland.

In the past, more than 800 have participated in the run but this year do to COVID restrictions, they are allowing about 400.

“The run is amazing,” says Christina Harley from the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario. “We’ve had eight wonderful years, and these last two years we have adapted incredibly with a physically distanced run event.”

Harley says it really assists a lot of kids in our community adding, “We’re really excited to keep raising funds for Jordan’s endowment but also to keep sending kids to camp each summer.”

This year the event will be held on September 11.