A Colorful Way to Help the Community
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- Created on Friday, 06 May 2016 20:54
- Written by Matthew Nelson
Lyndonville- An annual color event raised more than $4,000 this year. Not only is this a great event to help struggling families in the Norestheast Kngdom it also an opportunity for many different individuals to volunteer.
The run was held Saturday; April 30th at powers park in Lyndonville and was organized in part by HOPE. According to Bob McCabe an organizer of this years event, over 50 volunteers from all parts of the North East Kingdom including Lyndon Institute students, members of the Lyndon State volunteer club ASSIST, Americorps members, HOPE volunteers and helpful community members.
The event has been steadily growing since its first year in 2014 and this year had the biggest turn out yet. McCabe attributes the events success to the beautiful day we had on Saturday “It was the first year we had good weather, previously it was colder and we had rain and stuff it was a little bit chilly but it was the best weather that we’ve had and we really think it’s going to get bigger if the weather cooperates.”
Although the exact amount of money raised at this time is still unknown, over $2,600 was raised from online registration alone and all of the money goes towards HOPE’s backpack program, which sends food insecure families home with discrete, backpacks full of food every weekend.
The beautiful day and the color were not the only reasons volunteers showed their support. According to volunteer Brandon White, “Not only is this a super fun event that I look forward to all year around, I love knowing that I’m indirectly helping food insecure families in the NEK, especially because the need is so great around these neck of the woods.”
White volunteered by throwing color on the runners as they passed by and becoming involved in this event was easy for him and anyone else who wanted to help out. According McCabe all he had to do was sign up; “LSC is our biggest sponsor of this event so finding volunteers was simple. We just asked students that were involved with the ASSIST club and others came to hope offering to help.”
The ASSIST club a Lyndon State is comprised of students whom are active in the community and like volunteering or need to fill volunteering hour requirements. This club organizes many charitable events including “trick or canning” in October. Lucy Hale a member of the ASSIST club for two years explained what helping out in the community and with the color run means to her “I used to be in foster care because my parents were un-employed and couldn’t take care of me. There were many days that I wasn’t sure if I would eat lunch or dinner and it was embarrassing for teachers and other kids to ask me about it, so I know how important the backpack program at HOPE is. I also like that volunteering can be as fun as the color run.”
The color run has a bright future and will continue to grow as well as the backpack program, both are essential to helping to North East Kingdom community grow and prosper.
The color run isn’t the only event the HOPE puts organizes. You can find out more information about there other events at this page http://www.hopevermont.com.
