Finish line in sight: Evie Croft has eyes on the prize as her diminutive nature allows her to negotiate the water obstacle a little easier than some of her more senior primary school colleagues.
Colour runs — or Diverstiy Dash in the cash of Tongala and St Patrick’s primary schools — now have an 11-year history and have become the trendy new way of fundraising while encouraging students to be active in an entertainment environment.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
In 2011 the first 5km colour run was conducted in Phoenix, Arizona and 6000 people joined in the event organised by event producer Travis Snyder — the concept itself was inspired by the Hindu festival of Hindi.
Fence fun: Size is not always an advantage, as Tongala Primary School senior student Emily Wilkinson discovered when she tried to keep pace with Emma Webb as they arrived at the fence obsctacle on the Diversity Dash course.
Now, just over a decade later, schools and communities from throughout the Campaspe region are using the colour run as a regular component of their curriculum and events calendar.
The Tongala event followed on from a Rochester event earlier in the year and colour runs at Kyabram P-12, Nanneella Estate and St Augustine’s.
More about the memories than the time the original event now lays claim to encouraging four million participants from 50 counties in 500 global events on an annual basis.
Sam Lyon, who put together the Tongala event, said his school was proud to host the 45-minute event.
Army crawl: St Patrick’s Primary School student Kaisha Shephard wades through the water of the “slippery slide’’ that was part of the Diversity Dash obstacle course on the Tongala Primary School oval.
Hold onto your hat: Aurora Mirabio sprints away from the hay bale hurdle after copping her fair share of colour, while one not so lucky student cops the brunt of a squeeze bottle spray.
Tyre time: Maya Forde has a challenge on her hands as she negotiates the car tyres that made this particular section of the obstacle course extremely challenging for the smaller students.
Big spray: Tongala’s CFA brigade volunteers offered a “cool down’’ experience for students, who were making a distinct attempt to remain on the far side of the course as they passed the powerful fire hose.
Splash and dash: Gelo Rupido creates some waves as he finds some ‘’clear water’’ midway through the water component of the diverstiy dash course.
Colour crawl: Macey Snelling appears to be enjoying the colourful pools of water that lay in her path while negotiating the course on her stomach in her soon to be multi-coloured white t-shirt.
