Colour erupts in Southampton in support of G.C. Huston

A colour explosion saw vibrant clouds fill the air above the Color Dash participants at the end of the fun run.

Hub Staff

While Saturday, Ausust 13 may have been a grey day in Southampton, G.C. Huston Public School was anything but as they held their first annual Color Dash, providing colour-a-plenty for everyone.

The 5 kilometre fun run, part of the Southampton Summer Shindig, saw people splashed with a variety of colours before, during, and after the run with a much needed morning rain adding to the effect.

All proceeds from the fundraising event are going to support G.C. Huston’s new running track. A cheque for $4,700 was presented to Principal, Dan Russell, who said that they had over 500 people registered.

“That's great, we're thrilled,” he said, thanking all the participants for their support. “Plan to come back next year because we're going to do it again and next year you'll see a 200 metre track,” said Russell. “It's going to be awesome.”

Russell said they were estimating the cost of the new track to be around $25,000.

See: G.C. Huston looking to Rotary for help with a new race track

“We're hoping to break ground in the fall, depending on how much money we raise,” Russell explained, adding that they'll be putting their soccer field in the centre of the track and also hope to fix up their baseball diamond at the same time.

Shindig organizer, Saugeen Shores Councillor Don Matheson said he was “very pleased” with the number of registrants for the Color Dash. “I thought we could get between 500 and 600.” Matheson added that the majority had signed up within the last couple of weeks. “We only had 200 at the beginning of last week.”

Before the run got underway, a blessing, song, and prayer from Saugeen First Nation Elder David Roote, Theresa Root and Ellen Brown was offered. Roote welcomed everyone to their traditional territory and thanked them for coming out to the event, explaining that he himself used to attend G.C. Huston Public School. “A lot of our children out on the Saugeen have gone to school here also so it’s really nice to see that this is taking place,” he said.

Southampton resident, Sara Fritzley and her 8 year old son, Ben put participants through a warm up before they lined up at the starting line to get splashed with colour. Participants ran through bursts of colour at every kilometre along the Southampton route. Then at the end of the run, placed into groups, participants found themselves in the midst of a colour explosion as buckets of colour, having been thrown up in the air overhead, rained down on them.

Chris Hatcher, age 23 from Owen Sound, crossed the finish line first. “It was nice running, a good temperature for it,” he said, adding that he’s getting ready for a few upcoming races, including the seventh annual Bayshore Race later in August, and wanted to “see where I was at” with the 5 kilometre run.

Southampton Summer Shindig events continued throughout the day, although the scheduled 500 foot water slide was canceled due to technical difficulties.

A Rotary Fish Fry, later in the afternoon with funds going toward community Rotary projects; and a dance at the Southampton Coliseum featuring The Sapsuckers and The Reklaws wrapped up another great Saugeen Shores summer event.

G.C. Huston students, left to right, Bella, Ezra, Azel, Owen, Zion and Mia were full of smiles - and color - at the end of Color Dash held at their school, August 13.