Noon Exchange holds annual Mayfest 5K Color Run

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press 

The Noon Exchange Club held one of their largest fundraisers of the year on Saturday, the annual Mayfest 5K Color Run, to raise funds for child abuse prevention. 

Despite the humid temperatures, the event had approximately 100 participants, said event chair Dennis Ayres. The runners and walkers headed out of Ogletree Gap Park to complete a course where several color stations were set up, where volunteers would give the runners and walkers a thorough powdering with bright colors.  

Last year’s event raised about $21,000, Ayres said, and this year the group had a goal of $25,000 to come in from sponsors, he estimated that this year’s event would bring in about the same as 2016. 

In addition to the 5K color run/walk, the morning featured ticketed concessions offering breakfast items, bratwurst or hotdogs, chips and drinks, along with cotton candy and other goodies for anyone who came out to the park. It was tough to find food trucks to come out, Ayres said, so they wanted to make something available for those who participated.

“We have a photo booth this year,” Ayres said. “We’re not making money on that, but it’s something fun we’re offering for the runners and walkers.” 

The group wants to continue to improve the event every year, Ayres added, saying he’d like to find a way for the group to keep times and have category winners for different ages. If the event becomes a timed event, Ayres said that would make the run/walk a larger draw for the area. 

“Our oldest runner this year is 81,” Ayres added.

Mayfest was put on by the Noon Exchange Club members, along with support from the AAU Crusaders basketball team, the Copperas Cove High School EXCEL Club and the Noon Exchange Club’s HUTS Club, made up of local homeschool students.

“This event is a great way to show students they can volunteer and still have fun,” Ayres said. 

Copperas Cove’s mayor, Frank Seffrood, was there to participate in the run and when he crossed the fin-ish line, he was vividly covered in colored powder from his head to his knees. He talked about why he decided to participate in the event. 

“Why not? People say they’re always looking for something to do in Copperas Cove, and some people say ‘there’s nothing to do,’” Seffrood said. “Well, there is always something to do in Copperas Cove and I was glad to come out to this, this morning.” 

On Saturday, an array of prizes were raffled, to include a 55-inch Smart TV as one of the top prizes. The club has been selling tickets for the drawing during the weeks leading up to Mayfest. A lineup of local businesses and clubs sponsored the event on Saturday, providing prizes and/or funds, to include Clear Creek Meadows Apartments, Awards Gallery, One Stop Cleaners, Gold Star Real Estate, the Optimist Club of Copperas Cove, Lil’ Tex Restaurant, Cove Fitness, Cali Signs, the Copperas Cove Leader-Press, and Navy Federal Credit Union. 

The Noon Exchange Club presents the funds it raises to local organizations like Hope Pregnancy Center, Communities in Schools, the Coryell County Rainbow Room, Families in Crisis, and Aware Central Texas. 

After the “dust” settles from this year’s event, the club will install its new officers in June, then start ma-ing plans for the annual Feast of Sharing in November, a free Thanksgiving dinner open to the entire Cop-peras Cove community.