By Pattie Copenhaver | Aspen House/Aspen Services
On a foggy September morning, the Aspen House volunteers gathered in the early hours to set up the 2023 Color Run at Yamaguchi Park. The anticipation grew as participants started to arrive and everyone wondered if the mist would lift enough to see the beautiful balloons rise into the sky as runners hit the course. It did.
Just as Pattie Copenhaver, the new executive director of Aspen House/Aspen Services, sounded the starting horn for the race, the sky began to clear and the runners and walkers, strollers and even scooters hit the course with high hopes for the colors that would fill the air and cover their shirts during the race.
The Color Run is an untimed fun run for individuals of all ages and levels in which runners are showered with colored powder at stations along the run. Color runs are held in cities across the country by nonprofit organizations.
In 2020, Aspen House adopted the fundraiser from Rise Above Violence, which generously allowed them to continue the tradition in Pagosa Springs.
The fundraising event is perfect for Aspen House as it allows all of its adults with developmental disabilities and their families to participate in the event, have a great time and even volunteer at the various stations around the course. It’s also a great way for Aspen House to provide the community with a fun event and spread the word about its mission and goals of building a house right here in Pagosa Springs that will become a home for the adults with developmental disabilities to thrive, find the support and services that they need, and fully engage within our community.
The 2023 Aspen House Color Run brought the organization $4,500 closer to its goal and it could not be more appreciative of the community members that came out to support it and have so much fun with during ColorFest weekend.
