Before the Dads had their day, the weekend belonged to the younger set. There were several activities for kids on Saturday morning.
COLOR-A-THON
There were people of all ages at the Saturday morning run that started at the middle school track. But most of the participants were in their teens or younger.
They all got T-shirts and pocket-size packages of a powdery substance that the ingredient list described as “maize starch, permissible colors.”
Hundreds of runners assembled on the infield of the track. At a countdown from three, they opened their packages and aimed at one another.
The results were startling. For a moment, the inside of the track resembled a battlfield with a thick cloud obscuring the combatants. But unlike artillery smoke, the cloud contained puffs of pink and blue. It rose slowly, revealing runners who looked like they were ready for Halloween.
Their white shirts were splattered with color, and their faces seemed to be marked with war paint. They lined up on the track. And at another count of three, they were supposed to whoop and hollar. But the people in front started running, and everyone else followed. It didn’t matter. The run wasn’t timed, and there was no order of finish.
As people completed their run, volunteers in yellow shirts showered them with another blast of color. It was OK. The organizers had assured everyone that the color would come off. And it did.
The Cornwall Community Foundation organized the event to raise money for the repair of the school tracks. The Color-A-Thon attracted 350 participants; 44 of them showed up on the morning of the event. It was a larger crowd than the organizers expected.
FISHING DERBY
The annual Bass Busters Fishing Derby, for ages 5 to 15, occurred at the same time as the race. Some kids managed to do both. The colors on their shirts and faces gave them away.
The event at Rings Pond attracted 74 fishermen, plus twice as many parents, friends and grandparents. A brief downpour brought a halt to the activity, which ended with free hamburgers and hot dogs, and the awarding of prizes.
Most people caught something. As of 11:15 a.m., the unofficial “biggest fish” was 12 inches long.
YOUTH FOOTBALL
While some kids were running and fishing, others were signing up for Youth Football or cheerleading at Laurel Crest Park. It was the second Saturday for registration.
It was also the end of the flag football season.The Jets won the Division III championship (grades 6-8), while the Packers finished first in Division II (grades 3-5). The finals were played at Laurel Crest while league officers were enrolling people for the fall.
