Gerald Richard
July 8, 2015
New VCHS coach ready to work
July 8, 2015
With crisp white sand, healthy vegetation and hundreds of animal species that call it home, there’s no questioning that Grand Isle is a pretty color-rich place.
But on July 11 at 6 p.m., things will get out of control – in a good way, of course.
That’s because the third-annual Color the Island 5K fun run will return to the beach behind Bridgeside Marina – an event that has quickly become a favorite among tourists and island natives each summer.
Last year, 480 runners from across the country competed in the run, which is put on by the Miss Grand Isle Pageant Committee and raises much-needed dollars to the committee’s annual charity of choice.
“I really need to stress that this is a FUN run. I want you to put the word fun in all caps so that people know what it is,” Color the Island 5K organizer Theresa Vegas said. “Many people actually walk the course and just enjoy the sights and sounds of the beach as they go.”
So what exactly makes the Color the Island 5K so colorful? Oh trust us, the event is titled as such for a worthwhile reason.
Vegas said at the beginning of the run, there is a huge blast of color that shoots through the air and pastes the clothing, shoes, hair, skin and everything else of the competitors – leaving them a perfectly rainbow-colored mess from the onset.
As the race progresses, there are eight color stations where participants will again be doused with the powdered color, which leads to quite a sight for folks to see by the time the event gets done.
Vegas said a DJ is stationed at the starting point of the race, as well as at the midway point, which keeps tunes flowing through the tropical air and sets the scene for the fun going on throughout.
After the race, Velvet Sky will perform under Bridgeside’s Pavilion.
“There will be water stations along the route and a misting/cooling area, also,” Vegas said. “Prizes are awarded for the first female to finish, the first male to finish and also to the last person to cross the finish line. We want runners to dress patriotic, which is the theme of this year’s event, and a prize will be awarded for best-dressed, as well.”
All of that color in one place, and truly the brightest hue of the entire event is its cause – charity.
Vegas said the Color the Island 5K is a 50/50 split, meaning that the charity chosen by the pageant committee walks away with half of the proceeds – an amount that totaled more than $7,000 last year.
The way that the event does so well is through the blessings of many in the community, who sponsor a lot of the run’s expenses.
The 2015 charity that will benefit will be the Louisiana Army National Guard’s “Operation Christmas Angels” program, which provides assistance to military families who may be struggling during the holidays.
“We have so much help,” Vegas said. “We couldn’t host an event this size without the help of our spouses, the Town of Grand Isle’s street crew, several dedicated volunteers and the Louisiana Army National Guard Child and Youth Program’s staff and volunteers, which is headed by Mikelle Ricou and Angela Ott. They all do a terrific job making this event happen.”
Cost to enter is $40 per pre-registered adult and $25 for pre-registered children under 12. If unable to pre-register, race-day fees are $45 and $30. With a registration, a participant will receive a t-shirt, water bottle, packet of color and a plate of pastalaya that’ll come in handy for the post-race celebration.
“We have fun with this, and we do it for a good cause,” Vegas said. “We’d love to do even better this year – that’s the goal.”
The Color the Island 5K fun run is always a great time for the people involved. Featuring several “color stations,” racers will be sure to be black and blue by the time it’s over. Oh yeah, and purple, orange, red, green and pink, too.
