Alva Review-Courier -

Alva Elementary Schools hosted their annual Color Run fundraiser on Friday, April 22. Students, family, staff and community all came together to enjoy a fun evening outside while running or walking the 1 mile fun run or 5K course.

The race began at Washington Elementary with an explosion of color thrown into the air by all participants at the starting line. 5K runners began the race, followed by the 1 mile fun run participants. The Alva Fire Department and Police Department took part in cooling off participants with a large fire truck at the intersection of 4th and Barnes.

At Longfellow Elementary, the midway point for the 1 mile, runners got an additional dose of powdered color following a water station. There were several other color stations throughout the course and an additional water station for the 5K runners at Alva Middle School. These stations were manned by elementary staff, AMS track students and community volunteers.

A new addition to this year's festivities was an inflatable obstacle course and slide for kids to enjoy. Admission to the inflatables were included in the Color Run registration fee. Inflatable wristbands were also available for individual purchase at the event. Sidewalk chalk and the WECC playground were also available for families to enjoy.

The Color Run is the only fundraiser the three elementary schools have promoted in recent years. The profit from the Color Run goes into all elementary school's activity accounts which pays for special activities, field trips, various incentives, and playground improvements throughout the school year. Washington, Longfellow and Lincoln staff members have been organizing this event for the past several months to ensure its success.

1 Mile Fun Run Winners - From left: Siblings Sadie Longhurst (fourth grade) and Skyler Longhurst (seventh grade) tied for First Place Overall.

The first male and female runners to finish the 1 mile fun run were siblings Skyler and Sadie Longhurst. Skyler, seventh grade student at Alva Middle School, was in the lead when Sadie, fourth grade student at Lincoln, closed the gap to tie for first. The winners of the 5K run were Alva residents Sterlin Broomfield, who took the overall first place for the 5K, and Holly Hoffman, who was the first female to cross the 5K finish line.

This year's run was sponsored by over 45 companies and individuals. Sponsors were given the opportunity to be recognized on the back of the annual color run t-shirt. Sponsorship levels were divided into three categories: Bronze – $50, Silver – $150, and GOLDbug – $250. There were also over 250 registered participants for this year's event.

After a day of fierce winds, the event was blessed with beautiful spring weather. This event would not have been possible without the commitment of our sponsors, staff, and community volunteers. We would like to extend a special thanks and our appreciation to everyone who sponsored and participated in this fun family activity. It was an exciting evening filled with family, friends and fun.