Organizers of the annual Wildstone Colours4Kids run in Penticton are calling this year’s event a success after over 800 people participated in the vibrant event.
Spatters of pink, blue, green, yellow and red covered white T-shirts of participants young and old after the family-oriented run, which organizers hope to raise over $10,000.
That money will be going toward the OSNS Child and Youth Development Centre, but executive director Manisha Willms said the event isn’t just about the money.
| A particularly enthusiastic Colour4Kids run entrant leaps into a barrage of red tossed at him at a red colour station near the end of the lap along Riverside Drive. Dustin Godfrey/Western News |
“There’s always a twofold purpose to our events. One is to raise money and help kids, because we have limited funding that comes in. The funding is mostly for wages. And so all of these events help us buy the things we need to buy treatment and programs for kids. So we raised over $10,000 last year; we’re hoping to do the same this year. But the other purpose is to just raise awareness of pediatric rehabilitation, about how many kids in the South Okanagan need some help,” Willms said.
“OSNS really wants to do events that are family-oriented, so this just fits perfectly … It’s just a fantastic message of kids helping kids.”
As for the event itself, Willms could only speak positively about the turnout.
“We had 800 registration packages and we ran out, so I’m guessing over 800 people (attended),” Willms said.
“When I got up on the truck to make remarks, I started by saying ‘I wish you could see what I see.’ Just completely feeling humbled by the amount of support we got just from community coming out, from kids coming out. And just all the enthusiasm here today was just fantastic.”
