Editor,

If you are wondering why there were several hundred people walking around town on Saturday covered in pastel paint, it was because they chose to “run in color.”

Yep, they ran 5 kilometers and we tossed powder color all over them.

They did it for charity.

The 5K event, Run in Color, was a lot of fun for me, but was really something much more selfish. I knew I wanted to do something for fellow runners following the bombing at the Boston Marathon.

As a physical therapist I know very well the cost physically, mentally and financially of losing a limb.

Particularly near and dear to my heart was the dancer, Adrianne Haslet-Davis, who was desperately promising that she would dance again. I wanted to help her so badly it hurt.

Somehow an “explosion of color” at a running event seemed to be just right to satisfy my desire to help and calm my anger about the violence.

I brought the idea to my physical therapy clinic and they volunteered to help me create an event. My colleague, physical therapist Tara Vollersten, was ready to jump in and be a leader. She really wanted the run to benefit a local charity too. So it was decided that we would do this locally for Citizens Against Domestic Abuse, or CADA, and for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

We were very lucky to find Curtis Vieke, who works with North Whidbey Parks and Recreation. He was full of ideas, enthusiasm and really had the knowledge that we needed to make this happen. Everyone put in many hours.

The race has raised more than $3,000 for these charities.

I hope Run in Color is the beginning of a new tradition in Oak Harbor.

Thank you, Oak Harbor, you rock, you run, you care.

And you look pretty good in color.

Wendolyn Rue, PT
Oak Harbor