A peach pie sale on Tuesday jumpstarted Joe Pillitteri’s season of fundraising for the Terry Fox Run, bringing in more than $5,000 before September’s started.

In total, 260 pies were sold – 130 frozen and another 130 fresh – for $20 each. All the funds will be given in a donation, made by Team Pillsy, to the Terry Fox Foundation.

Pies were pre-ordered and available for pickup on Aug. 29 at Cornerstone Community Church on Hunter Road. All supplies were donated.

“They were all sold out before the sale date,” Pillitteri said.

Team Pillsy, Joe Pillitteri and his brother Mike, will continue their efforts with the annual Terry Fox Run on Sept. 17, followed by a fundraiser comedy show at the NOTL Community Centre on Sept. 29.

“We’re trying to raise another $100,000 this year,” Pillitteri said, and added that they want to become the second team in Canada to raise $1 million for the foundation.

They’re expecting yet another enthusiastic turnout for this year’s run, he added.

“Niagara-on-the-Lake, per capita, raises an incredible amount of money versus all of the other runs in Canada,” he said.

Alongside the increase in donations, he added, “it’s great to see that we’re getting more people out each year.”

Pillitteri, who started doing the run annually in 2008, said he got serious about fundraising around 10 years ago.

“I think (Terry Fox’s story) is such an important message of hope and perseverance. No matter what it’s getting us through.”

For more information on the upcoming Terry Fox Run, visit terryfox.org.