A group of children participating in the TradeWinds Summer Camp program heard about the sad plight of animals on “death row” at Gary Animal Control and decided to do something about it.  Friday the youngsters, ranging in age from age 5 to 18, took part in the first ever “Color Run”.

The children pledged to run for donations of food, pet supplies and blankets to be delivered to the Gary Animal Control Facility in the hope of prolonging the lives of the abandoned animals until they can be fostered and eventually adopted.  Both TradeWinds Staff and the summer campers have been busy collecting donations for the ten-lap run.  At the completion of each lap runners were splashed with a non-toxic paint.

Children attending the TradeWinds Summer program come to camp with various abilities and disabilities.  “Tolerance and acceptance of one another is the one of the fundamental keys of the program,” said Previs, “and thinking about and caring for others is a very important life lesson.”

The fundraiser took place at TradeWinds’ main center in Gary, IN.  TradeWinds is a non-profit agency that supports children and adults with disabilities whose mission is “Serving people with special needs by empowering them to realize their full potential.”