Color me pink

Bursts of colored powder filled the air outside Towamensing Elementary on Friday morning as students in kindergarten through sixth grade participated in the school’s first Race For Education/Color Run.

Organized by Towamensing’s Parent-Teacher Organization, the event was a hit for students, parents and teachers alike.

“We’ve had a great time running through the powder,” said Ella Baumgardt, fifth-grade student. “It was cool to get hit with the powder in your face and it was really fun because you got a good laugh with your friends.”

Ali Spalding, Towamensing teacher and PTO co-chairperson of the event, said it was held as a major fundraiser for the PTO.

“We decided to do it this year to eliminate some of the extra PTO fundraisers we do throughout the year and try to consolidate them into one event that was also really exciting for the kids,” Spalding said. “Everyone seems to be having a great time so hopefully we have accomplished that.”

The event raised around $6,500 leading up to Friday and Towamensing’s PTO will be accepting donations through June 8.

Each grade level took a turn running several laps as PTO members and volunteers blasted them with colored powder.

Outside of the color run, the PTO also set up a healthy snack station, carnival games, and a potato launcher. Students did their best to slingshot a potato toward buckets set up in the neighboring field of Old Homestead Tree Farm.

“Mine went pretty far,” Baumgardt said. Baumgardt’s fellow fifth grader, Mackenzie Long, however, described her own effort as “not so good.”

Both girls said the color run was the highlight of their morning.

After the color run, Spalding blasted each one with air from a leaf blower to help clean them off before returning inside.

“Our biggest goal was for the kids to have a great day together,” Spalding said, “and we’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great sponsors, volunteers and a rain-free morning.”

The Towamensing PTO intends to make the Race For Education/Color Run an annual event.