Emmaus Mission Center hosts Third Annual Color Walk
Jun. 24—All colors of the rainbow flew Saturday morning at Riverside Park as part of the Emmaus Mission Center Color Walk.
The event, which started three years ago, aims to raise awareness and support for hunger and homeless, according to Emmaus Mission Thrift Store and Food Pantry Manager Kayla Cook.
Volunteers were stationed at four locations around the path with buckets of colored chalk powder and as participants walked by, they threw and dumped the colored chalk on the walkers. Participants also wore white shirts, which were colored by the chalk as they walked by. People could walk around as many times as they wanted to get colored. A raffle also took place before the event where those participating could win items such as bikes, lawn chairs and toys.
Cook said that the event advertises the center to the community and lets people know what Emmaus does. She said that the colors do not symbolize anything, but are just for fun.
"[It's] something a little bit different. We hadn't seen anything like this in Logan before, so we wanted to try something new and it's stuck for the last three years," Cook said. "So, people just like to get colored in all the different colors."
Emmaus Mission Center Executive Director Jason Mitchell said it is fantastic to see everyone group together for fun and to support a cause. He said hunger and homelessness are becoming more prevalent in our communities, but events like this helps communities while being fun as well.
"It's always heartening to see a group of people like this, I think. It's just always wonderful and everybody's smiling, having fun. The kids are getting color powder thrown over them," Mitchell said. "It's just, for me, I love community events like this where you're just able to come and have fun."
Lucy Benedict, age 11, said this was her second time participating in the Color Walk. She said her favorite part was getting colors dumped on her and that she is going to come back next year. Winamac student Levi Sanson, age 8, said this was his first time attending the event.
"[My favorite part was] getting sprayed by the colors," Sanson said.
Mitchell said the funds that are coming from this year's event are going towards helping the Emmaus Mission Center Food Pantry. He said anything you can do with a community for a community, such as the Color Walk, is important and brings people together in the spirit of comradery.
"... Events like this, I think, just like the Squeal [on the Eel] last week, I mean things like that that bring the community together to have a fun event where people can just enjoy themselves, bring their kids out, but it's also helping a cause," Mitchell said. "...That blessing keeps rolling... that kind of stuff gathers momentum in the community and... also shows people that giving is good."
According to Mitchell, he appreciates the community in Cass County and that he is grateful to work at Emmaus. Cook said anyone is welcome to volunteer or donate at the center. She said if anyone has questions, they can visit the Emmaus Mission Center website or reach out to the center.
"There are approximately 1,700 families coming through our Food Pantry line right now," Cook said. "One in eight people in the nation are hungry, and we need to make people be aware that the need is out there and the community needs to be aware that there are people within their own circle that may be hungry or may be homeless and they're not aware of it. So, just trying to get more people to understand that it is right here in their community."
