Katikati Primary School Colour Fun Run Raises Over $13,000

Katikati Primary School's Parents of the School (POTS) group has wrapped up a highly successful colour fun run fundraiser, netting $13,365.10 for the school after the fundraising company took its 40 percent cut from gross receipts of $22,275.17. Students were sent home early in Term 1 with permission slips and guidance on setting up online fundraising pages, with roughly half the school creating their own pages to gather donations from whānau and the wider community.

The top individual fundraiser was Room 3 student Quinn Arrow, who raised an impressive $1,250. Room 3 also claimed the top-earning classroom prize, with 17 students collectively raising $2,675. Three students chose to donate the value of their prize to Forest & Bird rather than keeping it for themselves.

POTS president Emma Gillespie said she was blown away by the effort from tamariki and their whānau. She noted the fundraising company had been particularly helpful — providing promotional templates, all the logistical information needed to run the event, and even an online fundraising coach. The school's back field and PE equipment were used to create the obstacle course on the day.

Gillespie acknowledged volunteers, Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade, food trucks, teachers, and whānau for making the day a success, describing it as "an amazing community event full of fun and laughter." POTS is now looking at making the colour fun run an annual event, though exactly how the funds raised this year will be spent has yet to be announced — with Gillespie promising to "watch this space."

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).