Color Run Brings Hope to NEK

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Created on Monday, 30 April 2018 10:59
Written by Victoria Baldoni

colr run thumbnailLYNDONVILLE- Saturday, April 28th marked the fifth annual H.O.P.E. Color Run in in Bandstand Park. The event raises money to support the local non-profit organization in their effort to give back and help their community. 

 H.O.P.E. stand for “Helping other people everyday” and has been a beacon of light for the Northeast Kingdom during both tragedy and triumph for years. According to Amy Bean, who is on the Board of Directors at H.O.P.E., the Color Run is one of three major fundraisers that the organization puts on throughout the year, and the proceeds really benefit everyone. “Proceeds will go to HOPE and it will go right back into the community. It will help with the backpack program, fire victims, really anybody that needs any services at all.”

 One of H.O.P.E.’s major programs is their backpack program which sends local children struggling with food insecurity home with food each weekend during the school year. “We send home roughly 90 backpacks a week to kids who are dealing with food insecurity so that they know that they have food available to them for over the course of the weekend,” says H.O.P.E. General Manager, Dan Haycook. “It benefits our fire survivor program where we do home starter packages for people who may have lost everything in a home fire. Same thing with domestic violence survivors who have had to flea and leave everything behind… we do home starter packages for them as well. It benefits our food shelf, it benefits our Christmas program.” 

 

The colorful energy that the organization brings to the Northeast Kingdom certainly shined through to its popular fundraiser as participants ran into walls of powdered color for a good cause. “It’s as lively as it is colorful today. All of the people are charismatic, all of the people are energized… everyone is running around and having a good time and there’s just color everywhere… and it’s bright… it’s bright, it’s lively, its fun… it’s inspiring honestly,” said Christy Rosario. 

 

Some came out for a good time and to support a local organization. “I came out here today because HOPE is such a great program… they have great activities for the community and just wanted to be here to support them and to help raise money for programs that they do,” said Jon Hutchinson.

 

Haycook said that seeing the community come together to support programs such as these is incredible and that it is extremely humbling.