Local pride
New Hope employees and event volunteers check in participants to Saturday’s Pride Color Run. The back of the event’s custom shirts lists all fifteen sponsors for the event.
GABRIEL DAVIS/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
With the wave of a flag, runners were off to the races at the start of the run’s five-kilometer loop down Fifth Avenue, South Pioneer Way, and eventually back to Fifth from South Division Street.
Participants receive their first batch of colored powder along Fifth Avenue, from a member of the first sponsor station along the path.
MOSES LAKE — Almost 50 adults and children participated in Moses Lake’s second annual Pride Color Run, hosted this Saturday by Moses Lake organization New Hope. Sponsors of the event took up stations along the five-kilometer course to coat participants in colored powder as they passed by.
“We had a good turnout for volunteers,” said Debbie Gonzalez, one of four lead advocates at New Hope.
According to Gonzalez, about 70 individuals had pre-registered for the run. Despite the decrease in participants from last year’s color run, the event’s organizers were still content with the number of runners who showed up, in addition to the volunteer turnout.
Participants crowded together at the starting point at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Beech Street at 9 a.m. Once the flag was waved and the runners were off, the mapped path took them northeast on Fifth Avenue, before turning onto South Pioneer Way and eventually making its way in an oblong loop back to the starting point, which doubled as the finish line. By the time participants reached the finish they would be covered in a multi-colored variety of powdered paint.
“I do a lot of 5-Ks, and it’s a great thing to support, so I thought I’d come out,” said Heavenlaya Foy, one of the registered participants in the run. “I didn’t know about it last year, but I do this year.”
According to Gonzalez, New Hope partnered with fifteen sponsors for the run, each with their own pride-themed table or tent along the route and a different color of paint assigned to every station. There was also a police presence during the first leg of the race on Fifth Avenue.
Heather Mason, owner of Mason’s Place in downtown Moses Lake, was situated at a station on South Division Street, throwing purple powder as people passed along the route.
“I just think it’s so important for adults and children alike to know they are loved and supported and perfect just how they are,” said Mason.
Additional partners of the event included the Seattle Mariners, who donated Mariner hats for every pre-registered participant, as well as four Mariners tickets as a prize for the first-place adult winner of the run. Other prizes consisted of gift cards contributed by local businesses.
“I think it’s (important) to bring awareness, you know?” said Debbie Gonzalez, one of four lead advocates at New Hope. “Sometimes there’s just so much hate, and people can be so mean and cruel…everybody should be treated equally and fairly.”
According to Gonzalez, a 19-year veteran of New Hope, the organization works to provide services for victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Victims of Crime, and to prevent bullying and harm to youths’ mental health.
After the run, event coordinators and participants moved to McCosh Park Centennial Amphitheater for a celebration in the park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Gabriel Davis may be reached at gdavis@columbiabasinherald.com.
