Colors for a cure

Colors will fly on March 14 at the second annual Oak Mountain Color Run. The event started last year when a group of Oak Mountain High School students wanted to recognize their families who had battled cancer and to help raise funds to find a cure.

OMHS graduates Mandy Kelly and Mollie Shealy started the run last year to honor their grandparents. The race is held in memory of Donald R. Ellison and Susan A. Powers. 

Ellison was an electrical engineering graduate from the University of Alabama. He was a father of four, grandfather of nine and a great-grandfather of three. At the age of 83, Ellison was still an active member in his community and continued to perform engineering work. Though active, Ellison was diagnosed with lung cancer in June of 2010 after 70 years of smoking. Doctors performed surgery, but Ellison passed away eight weeks later from complications and COPD. 

Powers attended Plattsburgh State in New York and went on to receive her master’s degree from the College of Saint Rose. She taught first and third-grade and later became a substitute teacher. Powers was a mother of three and a grandmother of six. At age 38, Powers had been sick for several months when she went to the eye doctor. She was admitted to the ER and soon diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Powers died 10 days later from a cerebral hemorrhage. 

In an effort to prevent cancer from taking more inspirational lives, Kelly and Shealy organized the first annual Oak Mountain Color Run last year. This year, OMHS students Emily Lyons, Julia Buckner and Claire Kendrick have taken over as organizers of the event. In keeping with the tradition of the first annual race, all proceeds will go to American Cancer Society: Relay for Life and UAB: Cancer Research. 

“We all have a person to fight for,” Emily said. “If the community comes together to fight against this horrible disease, then we can find a cure.”

The run will start at 9 a.m. at Oak Mountain State Park. Survivors of six different types of cancer will speak before the race begins. The families of Ellison and Powers will speak and signal the start of the race. Various paint stations will be set up along the course with different colors representing several types of cancers. After the race, a tailgate, food vendors, activities for all age groups and more paint throwing will be available. 

Anyone from the community can participate. Online registration is $40 and includes a T-shirt, goodie bag and race expenses. Walk up registration is $35 and covers race expenses. 

For more information or to register, visit omsga.com.