It was a bright and colourful day for the Town of Emerson this past Saturday at the first ever Emerson 5k Colour Run or Walk. The communities School Advisory Council has been fundraising for a new playground for Emerson Elementary for over two years. The council has applied for several grants and has held everything from socials to fundraising meals to raise the money needed for a new playground.

The school's current playground is well past it's expiry date and has been deemed unsafe for the children to play on. The new playground comes at a total cost of $75,000.

In a colour run, the participant starts out as the canvas and by the end of the event he or she becomes a colourful masterpiece. After every kilometre that a person walks or runs, he or she is doused in a colourful chalk-like substance that washes off, but creates an interesting and fun atmosphere.

Close to sixty participants from the surrounding area registered for the event with even more showing up to register the day of. The Emerson School Advisory Council also held a perogy lunch after the run to boost their fundraising total.

Participants and surrounding community members made their way to the park to enjoy their perogy lunch and show their support for the Emerson School Playground. A council spokesperson says they made enough perogies for one hundred people which sold out at lunch within an hour.

"The event was amazing and the turnout was even better than they expected, we will definitely be doing this again next year," said Advisory Council President Jackie Despiegelaere.

The event raised about $45,000 toward their $75,000.

The day before the Colour Run took place, the Emerson Bigway held a free ten year anniversary BBQ including a silent auction with all donations going towards the School Playground. The stores owner Carl Buekert presented the Emerson School Advisory Council with a cheque for over $6,000 to add to their total for the weekend.