PARSIPPANY — The Lake Hiawatha School PTA hosted their second annual 3K Rainbow Run on Friday, April 28 at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Route 46, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of 250 including students, family and friends, along with teachers and administrators.
Lake Hiawatha School PTA’s elected Chair, Cindy LaPresti, was one of the principal organizers. She said, “Our second year was great! We had generous sponsors, which meant lots of nice door prizes for attendees, and we had an excellent turnout by families from our school and beyond.” She went on to note her appreciation for the parent volunteers who assisted in planning and executing the event, extending special thanks to Sarah Burke, Halia Centeno, Paola Rodriguez and Diana Winkler.
The event again began with a ribbon-cutting performed by Mayor James Barberio. Volunteers staffed stations along the perimeter of the paved path, liberally dousing runners and walkers with colors that showed vividly against the white t-shirts provided to participants. Each walker also received a string bag that included coupons and a bottle of water.
Jim McBride was the event DJ. He provided upbeat music to entertain the crowd. Amid the fun vibe, the noncompetitive race was clearly enjoyed by the many smiling children who enjoyed the family-friendly, healthy outdoor event. Onsite refreshments including pizza, chicken fingers, snacks and refreshing beverages were appreciated by parents, who enjoyed a kitchen-free night.
Funds raised go directly to support student programs. The Lake Hiawatha PTA finances all of the school’s assembly programs and the K-5 field trips. Beyond individual donations, the following local companies supported the school: Advocare Parsippany Pediatrics, Applebee’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Caggiano Orthodontics, Councilman Michael dePierro, D&B Chinese Restaurant, Foodtown, Home Depot, Jeremiah’s, Mathnasium, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Rauchberg Dental, ShopRite, Staples, Sushi Kuu Restaurant, Stop & Shop, Towne Tavern, Valentino’s Pizza and Victory Nails.
