“We want to be able to help people in more ways than we’re able to now,” said Melissa Dabe, the community support supervisor for the foundation.
Dabe said the proceeds will go toward equipment, services and building an endowment so Developmental Disabilities of Clark County can eventually be self-sustaining.
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Participants in the race will walk or run through 10 color stations at which packets of colored powder will be thrown onto them.
“It looks like a huge rainbow over your head,” Dabe said. “People even roll in the color.”
The event will be held April 29 at 10 a.m. at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Springfield. Registration is $40 up until the day of the race, and to register or volunteer, visit runsignup.com and search for “Dye Hard 5K.”
Developmental Disabilities of Clark County works with people with disabilities from birth to work, live and participate in the community through various services. The foundation relies on county levy funds for a majority of its budget, with the remaining money provided by the state and federal government.
This is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser, which is in its fourth year. Dabe is expecting about 1,200 people.
“Our whole goal is to get people impassioned and to understand people with disabilities and include them in the community,” she said.
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Dabe said those with disabilities are encouraged to participate, and many people volunteer to throw out color on the runners and walkers.
The event was previously held at Snyder Park, but it moved to the fairgrounds to accommodate the growing participation. The new site also provides a grassy landscape with moderate hills.
There will be food trucks and a DJ. Dabe said it’s meant to be a fun atmosphere where people can bring their families.
“The highlight of the day is the camaraderie and the fellowship that you have with everybody else,” she said.
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