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Pelham Ridge Elementary's third Color the Ridge Run is set for Saturday, April 27, at Fun Go Holler Park. (Reporter photo/Briana Harris)

PELHAM – More than 250 participants turned up for Pelham Ridge Elementary’s first Color the Ridge Run on Saturday, April 29, at Fun Go Holler Park.

“The turnout is definitely above what we expected for our first time,” physical education teacher Tammy Causey said. “It’s been successful.”

The color run featured a 5K and a 1-mile fun run. Causey said a portion of the proceeds from the event will go to the American Heart Association and the rest will benefit the school.

“As a school, we’re promoting a healthy lifestyle and we wanted to donate to a charity that we feel has the same values,” Causey said. “We connect lessons about healthy lifestyles to our P.E. curriculum and we teach life long healthy habits. We want this to become an annual event for our school and we hope to expand it in the years to come.”

Pelham resident Ashlee Best and her second-grade son Cole Jones, who attends Pelham Ridge, participated in the 5K. Best said that was the first time she and her son participated in a color run.

“I really enjoyed it,” Best said. “I loved that there were people of all athletic abilities participating in the event. You could tell that the purpose of the event was to increase awareness about the importance of being healthy. The purpose was for everybody to get out and be active. I’m definitely coming back next year.”

Best said she appreciates Causey and the school organizing the event and bringing the community together.

“I’m sure it took a lot to do this and I think it’s awesome,” she said.

Since moving to Pelham in August, Best said she and her son have been welcomed in the community with open arms.

“This is a great community,” she said. “This is a place I’d want to stay. I was apprehensive about coming and not knowing anyone, but everyone took us in and accepted us as part of the community.”

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