What: Splash a Smile! 5K Color Run/Walk

Splash a Smile! 5K Color Run/Walk When: 8 a.m. Saturday

8 a.m. Saturday Where: Fay M. Clark Memorial Park, 1200 N. 18th Ave., Hiawatha

Fay M. Clark Memorial Park, 1200 N. 18th Ave., Hiawatha Cost: $35 advance, $45 race day, free ages 5 and under

$35 advance, $45 race day, free ages 5 and under Packet pick-up: 7 to 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Community Health Free Clinic, 715 10th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Day of registration, packet pick-up starting at 7 a.m.

7 to 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Community Health Free Clinic, 715 10th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Day of registration, packet pick-up starting at 7 a.m. More information: Getmeregistered.com/splashasmile

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HIAWATHA — Recently an employee from one of the local hospitals called the Community Free Health Clinic to follow up on a patient who’d come to the emergency room in extreme pain from a dental issue that had gone untreated. The hospital staffer recognized the patient as a client of the clinic and wanted to make sure he got the follow-up care he needed. Stories like that and another of the time a man walked into the clinic after trying to pull his own tooth best illustrate why the dental services at the clinic — which is 100 percent supported by donations and grants — are needed, says Jean Bjorseth, director of community relations. “The need is so much more desperate even than medical,” she says. That’s why the proceeds from the clinic’s first fundraiser — a color run/walk on Saturday — will go to support the dental services at the non-profit clinic in Cedar Rapids. The neighbor-helping neighbor nature of the hospital staffer who followed up with the clinic and the clinic itself, born from a grass-roots community effort, is being carried through to the event, which has been organized in large part and was conceived of by clinic volunteers. “It’s just a community effort. Why would we change that,” says the clinic’s Executive Director Darlene Schmidt. “That’s what it’s all about.” Marion dentist and longtime clinic volunteer Connie Miller and her husband Jim Dwyer — who has helped organize Marion’s Turkey Trot race — brought the idea to the clinic about eight months ago. “Connie’s been a very dedicated volunteer,” Schmidt says. Because the race is locally organized — as opposed to the franchise runs such as The Color Run, Color Me Rad and Color Vibe, which have been held in other Iowa communities — all of the proceeds stay in the community. But that also means all of the details have been planned locally, as well. Miller, Dwyer and other volunteers have been heavily involved in taking care of those logistics — like recruiting race-day volunteers, coordinating with the city of Hiawatha and filling thousands of bags of the colored powder that will coat the participants. “We are trying to provide the same experience as the big ones while keeping it local,” Bjorseth says.The route in this non-competitive running and walking event begins and ends in Fay M. Clark Memorial Park in northwest Hiawatha. The run/walk will start at 8 a.m. with all the participants tossing color into the air. Along the route, there will be five color stations where runners and walkers will be splashed with more color. The “after” party, sponsored by the Cedar Rapids Titans with music by Lady Lowe, food and activities, will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the Eastern Iowa Sports Complex, adjacent to the park. The party is open to the public as well as participants. All runners/walkers will receive one free beverage. Other concessions will be available for purchase. As of Sept. 20, 1,350 people had registered. Registration is still open. Register before Friday at Getmeregistered.com/splashasmile for $35 and be entered to win one of six $20 gift cards from WeRun in North Liberty. Day of registration and packet pick-up will be available. Volunteers are still needed to staff the event before, during and after. To volunteer, contact Miller at drmiller@drmillerdental.com. Here's a map of the route. Make sure you wave as you run by Hoopla's purple color station: