Colour running for fun and funds

 

BY JULIA WADE

Local school children, teachers and a number of parents had fun in the sun getting wet, wild and multi-coloured recently to raise money for Mangawhai Beach School (MBS). 

Replacing the traditional Labour Weekend Agricultural & Gala Day as the schools main fundraiser for 2019, students instead took part in a ‘Colour Fun Run’ on April 9, inspired by the recent ‘Colour Run’ event held in Auckland earlier this year. 

With a carnival atmosphere including ice blocks for all runners, sausages sizzle and upbeat music, participants ran, walked, skipped and even crawled around the school’s sports field for one hour, being water-sprayed and bombed with tinted chalk dust.

Money was raised by people sponsoring children online as well as through the more traditional cash donations deputy principal Emma Grieve says. 

“As a school community we have raised over $50,000 which is amazing!” “I think we can quite safely say today is a huge success!”

MBS, along with support from the Board of Trustees, decided on the fun run event due to the ‘huge undertaking’ of the Agricultrual Day on the schools fundraising team and volunteers. 

“Instead of asking parents to donate their time, donate buckets of goodies for raffles, donate lollies, clothes, toys, books, bric-a-brac, plants and baking we decided to try this instead,” Emma says. “Apart from the smaller events like bake sales and discos, there will be no more fundraising for the rest of the year.” 

Of the final tally, 50 per cent will go towards the school, 30 per cent for student’s incentive prizes with the remaining 20 per cent paying for event expenses, a given with any fundraiser, including the cost of the Fun Run app, marketing material and technical online support. 

Adds Emma: “What an amazing day! Thank you to all our community sponsors, our FOMBs team, and our families, staff and teachers… you all made it happen! We thank you whole heartedly for your support.” 

 

---