Earlier this year, Lismore’s Trinity Catholic College held their third 2023 MND Colour Run, raising $2,700 for MND Australia.
The Trinity community has a very personal connection with MND, and has been deeply affected by it. The school lost former teacher Bob Delaney to MND in 2010. The much-loved English and History teacher was diagnosed with MND in 2005, aged 50. More recently another staff member, Mr Glenn Underhill, was diagnosed with MND.
The event was initiated by the school’s Captains Council in 2018. That year, more than 400 students ran the course. As the name suggests, the event was a bright and colourful affair. Students were sprayed by multi-coloured powder at a number of stations throughout the course. The event was a great success, and the 2019 captains took up the challenge the following year. An annual tradition was in the works.
The event had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. Then in March 2022, Lismore flooded. Like much of the area, the Trinity school campus was inundated. Every single classroom was damaged. School leadership scrambled to find temporary accommodation for over 900 students, who were eventually housed by Southern Cross University.
In May 2023, after a year-long wait, the Trinity community learned that they would not be returning to the site where the school had been since 1886. But after a three-year hiatus, nothing was going to stop the 2023 MND Colour Run.
Hosted by the Lismore Rugby Club, the 2023 MND Colour Run was held on the last day of Term 2, the 30th of June 2023. After a challenging few years, the 2023 MND Colour Run was a celebration and a triumph.
The 2023 school leaders were the driving force behind the event, with help from Youth and Ministry Coordinator, Mr Tory Puglisi, Mr Shane Thamm, Ms Vicki Evans and other staff. Over 500 students participated in an action-packed event, with funds raised via the purchase of an attendance ticket and an optional limited-edition 2023 MND Colour run shirt that was screen printed by some of the 2023 Student Leaders.
The neighbouring primary school St Carthages came along to watch, with some students participating in a smaller course.
Student leaders organised the event, positioning themselves at the various stations with coloured water guns and coloured powder. Participants ran a course dotted with obstacles constructed from cargo nets, tyres, hay bales and other materials, all while being sprayed with colour. At the end of the event, Year 11 Music students performed. Then it was time for holidays!
Thank you to all the students, teachers, families and community members who supported the 2023 MND Colour Run. Your support is incredibly valued, both by MND Australia and the wider MND community. We can’t wait for the 2024 event!
