A shower of brilliant colors will rain down on runners and walkers as they complete the Kolor for Kids 5K later this month.

“At the end we’re all together again celebrating the beautiful day and helping children. It’s a reminder of what we’re all there for,” said Jaclyn Freeberg, special events coordinator for Centertainment Productions.

For the first time in the Stevens Point area, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) Centertainment Productions will host the Kolor for Kids 5K Run/Walk on behalf of Children’s Miracle Network.

Registration will open at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Sundial on the UWSP campus, across from Lot R on Portage Street. Runners will begin at 10 a.m. and walkers will follow at 10:20 a.m. The registration fee is $35 for adults and youth, and $20 for children under age 6.

Tickets can be purchased on campus at the University Information and Ticket Desk in the Dreyfus University Center or online at www.tickets.uwsp.edu. Registration will remain open until the event begins. The first 200 people to register will receive a Kolor for Kids T-shirt on the day of the event; additional shirts will be available for purchase.

The route will go through the Schmeeckle Reserve and UWSP campus. Colored cornstarch will be thrown at stations throughout the run/walk. There will be two final Kolor Throws at 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

This is the first year the Kolor for Kids run will take place at UWSP, but Freeberg hopes it will become an annual event.

Although Kolor for Kids was based off the Color Run, there are still differences. The Color Run was founded five years ago as an event “to promote healthiness and happiness by bringing communities together to participate in the ‘Happiest 5K on the Planet,’” according to the event website. Only five will be held in Wisconsin this year, the closest being in Eau Claire or Madison.

Kolor for Kids is a series of runs that raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in north central Wisconsin. The event is held in different locations, and proceeds go to assist in programs and projects carried out through Children’s Miracle Network to help children with any sickness or injury.

Amanda Vandehey, foundation specialist at Ministry Health, said this event started in Wisconsin Rapids and has grown over the past five years.

Vandehey said the event has grown so much because other groups throughout Wisconsin have shown interest in reaching out to the Children’s Miracle Network so it is not unusual for it to be held in different locations.

The money will go to families with sick or injured children who cannot pay for medical bills, and programs for those families within Portage County.

“I wanted to do something to make a difference,” Freeberg said.

Freeberg also wanted to do something larger so she contacted Children’s Miracle Hospital, which is housed in Ministry Health, to see how they hosted the runs and the partnership was formed.

Before runners and walkers take off, there will be a Children’s Miracle Network family who will speak, along with a photo booth and music. Freeberg said it will be a fun day for families with lots of color and music. Along with winding through Schmeeckle Reserve, part of the route also will go through campus.

For more information on Kolor for Kids 5k Run/Walk or Children’s Miracle Network, visit www.kolorforkids.com.