- By Times’ Junior Journalist Sophie Tomlinson
Shelly Park School in east Auckland was transformed into a vibrant sea of colour as hundreds of families and community members gathered to participate in its annual Colour Fun Run on November 9.
Participants went through a 1km course while being doused in bright pink, green, blue, yellow, orange, and purple powder.
The Colour Fun Run, which is sponsored by Eyes Of Howick, aims to get everybody in the community involved, while raising funds for the school and providing a memorable experience for families.
The participants started the race in white t-shirts, but crossed the finish line covered in colours, a true staple to the Shelly Park School event.
Groups of families and friends took part, from children, students, parents, grandparents, and even dogs.
A parent runner says the event “really brings the family together, and there’s such a community feel”.
Ed Roper, the principal of Shelly Park School, says: “The purpose of the Colour Fun Run is to get the community together, because we like to do lots of fun stuff that gets parents, kids, families, uncles and aunties together.”
Participants not only got to experience the Colour Fun Run, but also did a ‘dump the teacher’ activity, which included kids dumping handfuls of the colourful powder on their teachers, and the famous throwing of coloured powder at the end, which was a visual spectacle.
The event had a massive turnout, with hundreds of people from the community joining the fun.
Many families come back annually, and new families come to experience the event each year.
One parent says: “The Colour Fun Run is something our kids look forward to every year, and they’re always excited about how colourful they end up.”
The event’s organiser, Hayley Gahan, adds: “There’s a real party atmosphere during the Colour Fun Run. It’s one of the few chances families get to play together.”
The event concluded with a waterslide, where families enjoyed music, food and drinks, and took photos together in their vibrant outfits.
The Colour Fun Run is an amazing opportunity for families to get together in a community environment, and really enjoy the colourful experience Shelly Park School provides.
- Sophie Tomlinson is in year 11 at Howick College
