CreatiVets Color Run to return to Marshall-Putnam Fair

Support those who served in military at July 16 event

Drew Herridge, fair board director and concert chairman, presents a $3,000 check to co-founder of CreatiVets, Richard Casper.

The Marshall-Putnam Fair announced chapter 2 of the CreatiVets Color Run.

This event is to help support CreatiVets, an organization that uses various forms of art, including songwriting, visual arts, music and creative writing to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma by fostering self-expression in a way that allows them to transform their stories of trauma and struggle into an art form that can inspire and motivate continued healing.

Richard Casper, co-founder and executive director of CreatiVets, grew up in Washburn. After graduating from high school, Casper joined the United States Marines. While on a tour in Iraq, he survived four improvised explosive device blasts that left him with a brain injury. He also witnessed the death of his friend that caused him to suffer from post-traumatic stress. After nearly giving up, he discovered that art and songwriting were therapeutic and while attending the Art Institute of Chicago he began to develop the idea of CreatiVets.

At 6 p.m. July 16, the Marshall-Putnam Fairgrounds will host the second annual CreatiVets Color run where children and adults can show their support for those who served.

The Color Run consists of participants running or walking a course and ending the race covered in multiple different colors to raise awareness for the cause. Participants should wear white or light-colored clothing to experience the full effect of the non-toxic colored powder used to douse the participants from head to toe. There is a $15 entry fee to participate. All proceeds of the event will be given to CreatiVets.

Entry forms can be found on the M-P Fair website at www.marshallputnamfair.org or at the Fair Office, 915 University Ave., Henry. Entries received by July 1 will be guaranteed a M-P Fair CreatiVets Color Run T-shirt. Henry Post 323, Bradford Post 445, Washburn Post 661, Wenona Post 8, Magnolia Post 254 and Toluca Post 440; American Legion Auxiliaries: Peoria Unit 2, Wenona Unit 8 and Wyoming Unit 91; and Marty Gollnitz VFW Post 4999 are supporting the event.

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