A Colorful Close To The Summer

​On Saturday, September 7, The Arc Wayne introduced Color Wayne to Newark and surrounding Wayne County community members. The whirlwind disability awareness event sent at least 300 runners and walkers on a two-mile route along the Erie Canalway path ending in T. Spencer Knight Park located right in front of The Arc Wayne’s headquarters.

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​While there were yard games scattered along the pavement, Barton’s Parkside Hots food truck and Erie Shore Landing Cafe and Ice Cream just steps away from the park, participants were eager to move and get their bright white shirts and complementary fandanas covered in colors by volunteers at the four color stations along the route. The color toss remained the most anticipated part of the day as participants waited with their color powder pack for everyone to trickle in off the route.  As DJ Sincero of Started from Scratch Dj and Mobile Entertainment began his countdown, participants did not hesitate to speed up the countdown and get the color tossing underway. The color toss left participants covered in color powder from head to toe. (Footage of the color toss pictured to the right, more photos can be found on The Arc Wayne's Facebook page)

Kindness for Kasey

Team Kasey pictured in T. Spencer Knight Canal Park during Color Wayne. Photo provided by Kelly DeMaree.

Groups and individual participants were given the option to raise donations to contribute to the Arc of Wayne Foundation, which all event proceeds benefited. Team Kasey exceeded all expectations by raising $1,150 in memory of Kasey DeMarree, a former student at Roosevelt Children’s Center that passed away at age 4 in 2016. 

Kasey’s parents, Kelly and Dan DeMaree were overwhelmed by the support of their friends and family when they decided to participate in Color Wayne. 
“Although Kasey was not able to join us at the [event], the kindness that he so willingly gave others was given back through the support and donations in his memory,” Kelly and Dan DeMaree said.

Kasey’s parents expressed their appreciation of Roosevelt Children’s Center and the school’s kindness in such a difficult time. 
“It wasn’t until we unexpectedly lost Kasey that we were able to truly understand the magnitude of what Roosevelt has meant [to] our family,” Kelly and Dan said. “They understood our little boy so well, and we feel so lucky for Kasey to have been surrounded by so much love.”  

RCC staff dedicated a bookshelf to Kasey to show their love and encourage his kindness.
“As a student, Kasey spread his love and kindness to everyone he came in contact with,” Kelly and Dan said. “Whether it was a hug, bringing you a book to share together, or one of his beautiful smiles, his kindness was on full display.”

The Arc Wayne hopes for everyone to follow in Kasey’s footsteps and lead with kindness.
“Seeing us celebrate our differences and accept all individuals for who they are is so important for our community,” Kelly and Dan said.

Color Wayne brought light, or in this case, color, to The Arc Wayne’s mission. The event’s theme was disability awareness to remind the Wayne County community of the opportunities the agency provides for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities and show community members ways to get involved with the agency. 

Team Kasey was given 10 tickets to a Rochester RazorSharks' game and 10 admissions to The Sterling Renaissance Festival for their generous donation. Charlotte Johnson was given four tickets to Dark Matter Scream Works haunted house and four admissions to The Sterling Renaissance Festival for raising a total of $125 for our foundation. The first-time event raised nearly $4,000.

A special thanks:
Kelly and Dan DeMaree for sharing their memories of Kasey.
Donors
In-kind prize sponsors
Participants
Volunteers
Silver sponsors
Newark Wegmans
MVP Health Care
4Imprint - One By One Program
Bronze sponsors
Legendary Auto Interiors
Rochester Regional Health

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