By 
AMONG the many traditions that signal the arrival of Christmas in Strabane, few are as well-known as the festive fundraising runs led by local man Adrian ‘Rusty’ Crossan.
This year, once again, Rusty will don his iconic Santa suit and set off on his latest series of charity treks, continuing a long-standing seasonal effort that has become a cherished part of the town’s Christmas spirit.
Rusty will begin his runs on Saturday, November 29, with all funds raised going to the charity Autism NI. The local man has supported numerous charities over the years, and during its five years, the annual run has raised nearly £250,000 for good causes.
‘Rusty’s Runs’ began after Rusty’s son, Shay, was diagnosed with a debilitating illness called Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS), which almost took his life. Thankfully, Shay made a full recovery.
As a result of the dedicated care provided to Shay during his time at the Belfast Children’s Hospital, Rusty vowed to launch a fundraising campaign as a way of thanking the staff for everything they did for his son.
Speaking about the latest round of festive treks, which will see Rusty pounding the pavements around Strabane and the local area, he said, “This year I am doing the run for Autism NI, which is a great charity and something I am really happy to raise awareness for. There are so many families who have children with autism, and Autism NI does great work in research and in supporting families.
“The first run will be on November 29, and I will be running across the entire Strabane area.”
Rusty and a group of volunteers will also be holding a street collection in Strabane town centre on Saturday, December 13. Donations can also be made via a link shared on Rusty’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Destinations where you can see Rusty will also be posted on social media.
