A call has gone out to Sunshine Coast schools to take part in the hugely popular School Fun Run Crazy Colour Day, and Noosaville State School is the first to get on board.
School Fun Run is an organisation helping to bring health, exercise, and inclusion to school fundraising efforts around the country through their highly interactive and experiential Fun Runs.
This November, the organisation is looking to help schools in the Sunshine Coast region turn students into running rainbows and give school communities something to look forward to after a year of uncertainty brought on by COVID-19.
School Fun Run have launched a campaign for the occasion and have aptly called it ‘Rainbow After the Storm’ to help spread the word and promote the colourful event.
Director of School Fun Run, Brendan Hopp said they want to get as many schools on the Sunshine Coast as possible holding a Crazy Colour Day in the first week of November.
“It’s all about showing Sunny Coast kids that their future remains colourful, bright and vibrant as together we paint the Sunny Coast Rainbow,” he said.
The lead up to the event will be promoted as a way to help boost community wide spirit on the Sunny Coast. It will place a special focus on reconnecting school communities, and raising much needed funds following the COVID-19 school shutdowns.
Noosaville State School and Suncoast Christian College are the first two schools to get behind this cause.
Principal Suncoast Christian College Greg Mattiske said, “After everything that has happened this year, we are delighted to bring joy, fun and a sense of normality back to our students with our Crazy Colour Day this year.”
“We have held this event before and we think it’s a perfect way to achieve these outcomes while raising some extra funds for our school at the same time. I hope all schools join us in 2020 as we paint the Sunshine Coast rainbow.”
Collectively, schools have raised over nine million dollars through the School Fun Run program last year alone.
Lindfield Public School, Social Committee, Annabelle Woodhouse said, “It’s been so good to get the kids outside, laughing again and having fun; taking away the seriousness that’s covering the whole globe at the moment.”
“Our principal set a fundraising goal of $70,000, which we thought was crazy – but we reached it and more.
“With the help, support and vision of School Fun Run, our students raised $91,858.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome; we’ll definitely do it again in the future.”
Primarily a school fundraising initiative, the Crazy Colour Day was developed to replace dated and unhealthy fundraising tactics like the chocolate drive, promote healthy lifestyles for children, and bring colour back into school fundraising.
“As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, it’s critical that companies working in the School System shift to meet demands for better products and services that empower entire families to embrace wellness and active lifestyles. At School Fun Run we’re always looking for new ways to do this while increasing net fundraising yields for our partner schools,” Hopp said.
School Fun Run is committed to not just promoting healthy, happy children in schools, but is dedicated to keeping children safe, which is why they have partnered with the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation, which was established to make a safer community for Australian children, became an Official Charity Partner of School Fun Run in 2019; a partnership they are excited to grow as they support more and more schools across the country.
“School Fun Run connects with over 350,000 primary school aged children annually, so this partnership is a perfect fit for both organisations. School Fun Run could not be prouder to help them ‘Keep Kids Safe’.” Hopp said.
Annually, School Fun Run raises around $125k for Bruce and Denise Morcombe to continue their son’s legacy.
Schools have found organising a Crazy Colour Day to be one of the easiest fundraising endeavors, with ongoing support, direction, and none of the upfront costs that traditional events, such as school fetes, can attract.
