Final monetary figures aren’t in yet, but plenty of runners braved the chilly temperatures on Saturday morning, Feb. 8 and laced up for the annual Escalon Educational Foundation Color Run, making their way along the course set up at Escalon High School.
The start time of 8 a.m. came after day-of-event registrants signed up starting at 7 a.m.; others who were pre-registered picked up their T-shirts and bib numbers the previous evening.
But when it was time to line up for the start of the race, some 250 participants were there to enjoy the event. All ages took part; the course made its way around the campus, starting off in the quad area and then heading out onto the grass of the various playing fields. Several color stations were set up; those running, jogging and walking the route could run through the color powder dispersed by volunteers or they could go on the ‘No Color’ side and just take part in the run itself, minus the color.
“I don’t think it was very bad, actually,” said April Adams, co-coordinator of the event, noting that last week’s rainy weather gave way to enough sunshine late in the week to help dry out the course. “It was cold and wet (from the dew) but it wasn’t muddy.”
Adams said it was about a mile long route and there was no limit as to how many times participants could run the course; it just depended on how much color they wanted to collect.
“They can do it as many times as they want,” she said. “We had a kid last year do it five times.”
Funds raised through the annual Color Run benefit all schools within the Escalon Unified School District, through teacher and classroom grants, as well as providing scholarships for graduating seniors.
Among the student groups represented on Color Run day were the Digital Multimedia Club, Photo Club, Art Club, Spanish Club, Community Cougars – Escalon Strong, and the STEM Club, out there along the route enjoying the opportunity to douse the participants with the non-toxic powder, which washes off easily with water.
“They all get volunteers from their clubs, we give them a donation from the Escalon Educational Foundation for their club and then they bring a table and music and set up their own station so it works out really great,” Adams said.
She added that she and co-coordinator Kaity French enjoy putting the Color Run together and seeing the efforts pay off in the form of money raised to benefit students.
“Just the ‘Thank you for putting this event on’ and ‘This was so fun, I’m doing it again next year’,” Adams said of two of the statements she hears from participants, statements that keep bringing her back to help plan the event. “Just the positive feeling that it gives to the community.”
