BREMEN, Ala. — This Saturday, March 4, Cold Springs Elementary School will host its first-ever “Life is Art” 5K/1 Mile Run. The event is aimed at raising funds to support the school’s art program, which allows all students in grades K-8 to come to art class once a month and try a mix of media, including colored pencils, markers, crayons, oil pastels, watercolors and acrylic paint.
According to Kathryn Baggett, Cold Springs Elementary’s Art Teacher and coordinator of the event, this is her first time planning this kind of event and if it turns out to be a success, the school will try to host it annually. Baggett said, “With running being one of my passions, I decided to plan a 5K. Cold Springs High School already has the Kudzu 5k course laid out, so with our Cross Country Coach, Casey Howell, and his team of runners to support, we will host this first-time event!”
The Life is Art 5K/1 Mile run is open to everyone, including students, faculty, and members of the community. The sign-up fee is $25 for the 5K and $20 for the 1 Mile run. Registration is available online at runsignup.com through Wednesday, March 1 and in-person registration the day of the event will be available until 7 a.m.
“The original idea was to make this a color run. But to prevent the mess of the powder color, I decided to say for participants to dress as colorfully as they choose,” Baggett said. “I have Dick’s gift cards to present to the most colorfully dressed runners of the day.”
The 5K will begin at 8 a.m. on the Cross Country Course, and the 1-mile run will begin at 9 am on the track. Awards will follow the event. However, Baggett encourages everyone to participate, even those who don’t love to run, as they can walk or cheer others on. Additionally, family and friends can take part in free art activities set up for families and see some student art on display. Some local art and craft vendors will also be present.
Baggett further shared that the event is not only about raising funds but also spreading an important message
“Life is messy and that we all make mistakes.”
The art program aims to teach students to appreciate their art and encourage one another. The program is building life skills and instilling a basis that “Life is Art.”
Baggett continued,
“All students are artists, and they are learning more than just how to color and paint. They are learning that life is messy and that we all make mistakes. I try to teach them to appreciate their art as it is unique to them and their unique personality.”
The event will take place around the football field of Cold Springs High School, located at 9010 County Road 109, Bremen, 35033. The school has also arranged for food trucks like Stone’s All Fired Up, Sachmo’s BBQ, and Frio’s Gourmet Pops from 10-12 for post-race treats.
Baggett said the Life is Art 5K/1 Mile run is a wonderful initiative by Cold Springs Elementary School to support its art program and encourage everyone to embrace their creativity. As she said,
“I don’t know what the future holds for this art program, but there will always be a need for students to express themselves through art!” You can register for the event by visiting
https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Bremen/LifeisArt5kand1MileFunRun.
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