Dreams do come true through "The Happiest 5K on the Planet" Color Run with UNICEF Ambassador Anne Curtis

I have been joining fun runs for over 4 years to get fit and it has become a part of my fitness routine. I have witnessed all sort of themes. But this time, ”The Happiest 5K on the Planet” Color Run was by far the most relevant, because it was for a good cause and the most fun colorful race I have ever been. It was a sold out Color Run Dream joined by 10,200+ millennials last Sept 3 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds. This was for the benefit of UNICEF,  the first project of Anne Curtis's Dream Machine PH. 

UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis joined the  ”The Happiest 5K on the Planet” and supported by celebrity friends Nico Bolzico, Raymond Gutierrez, Carla Humphries, and fiancee Erwan Heussaff. There was an after party for the color runners with DJ Tom Taus providing live percussion at the background.

 "Last year, we saw 7,000 runners making a difference for children’s health and nutrition. This year, we are so happy to gather 10,000 runners in this colorful run to help children with disabilities achieve their dreams," says Curtis.  

The Color Run, the largest fun run series in the world that has brought joy to over 6 million runners worldwide in 35+ countries, finally lands in the Philippines through Anne Curtis’ foundation, Dream Machine.

“The Color Run is among the first major projects of the Dream Machine, which is a platform to help dreamers achieve their dreams," Anne adds.

"Anne is untiring and unwavering in her support for children. Her generosity to sponsor and organize this fundraising activity inspires us to keep innovating in our work for children,” says UNICEF Country Representative Lotta Sylwander. 

Sylwander adds, ”Children with disabilities are Just like any other children. They want to be seen and heard, to be loved, to go to school and be useful members of society. UNICEF is working to give them access to health services that will enable them to have a fair chance in life. All the funds raised in the run will help us bring these services to all children with disabilities in the country.” 

According to UNICEF Philippines, an estimated one out of seven children or around five million are living with disabilities that range from hearing, visual, and mobility impairment including those who have development or learning disabilities. To address the situation, UNICEF aims to build four one-stop shops throughout the Philippines to provide comprehensive services such as diagnosis, provision of assistive devices, counselling, referral, and therapy.

The Color Run is a five-kilometer, un-timed event in which thousands of participants, or ”Color Runners", are doused from head to toe in different colors at each kilometer. Along the 5K color and music-filled course, participants can run through frothy foam and bubble zones, snap photos with unicorns, and get the ultimate color inspiration as they party with family and friends at the Finish Festival amidst vibrant bursts of color throws.

Presented by Dream Machine and organized by RunRio, The Color Run Dream for the benefit of UNlCEF is made possible through the support of SM Mall of Asia, Cherry Mobile, Enervon, .Jollibee, PMX, Swatch, Viva Artists Agency, Audi, B’lue, Salonpas, Toy Kingdom, Viva Live, Maynilad. 

Unicef Celebrity Ambassador Ms. Anne Curtis to run for "Heroes for Children Run" on Oct 25

Prepare to run and join UNICEF Celebrity Ambassador Ms. Anne Curtis for "Heroes for Children Run" for the ’1,000 Days‘ campaign which focus on much needed health and nutrition support in the critical first thousand days of the life of a child: from conception through pregnancy, to childbirth, and through to the child’s second year and beyond,” proceeds from the run will go directly to this campaign.

 UNICEF Country Representative Lotta Sylwander with the new UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis launches  the ’Heroes for Children Run’ for the benefit of children most in need, especially in their first 1,000 days of life last Sept 17 at The Discovery Suites, Pasig.

UNICEF Celebrity Ambassador Ms. Anne Curtis has been training and running twice a week at the Ayala Triangle and is preparing for the 21K run, hopefully she told the press that she would finish the 21K in an hour and a half or lesser than that. Celebrities Solenn Heussaff and Belle Daza will join Ms. Anne Curtis on October 25 at the SM MOA grounds.

The run is the first major fundraising initiative by Anne Curtis since UNICEF appointed her as Celebrity Advocate last March. "I am very much invested in health and fitness. I thought a benefit run that demonstrates health and wellness is a great way to raise resources to support children to have the best start in life! Proceeds from the run will help fund UNICEF’s ’1,000 Days of Life’ campaign," said Curtis.

UNICEF and partners launched the ’1,000 Days’ campaign through a series of legislative advocacy forums with the House of Representatives and the Senate last July. The central theme is, ’Ensuring the Right Start to Life through Optimal Maternal and Child Nutrition: Building a Stronger Nation’. 

"In the Philippines, at least 3.4 million Filipino children are stunted. Undernutrition accounts for over half of the 95 daily under-five child deaths. The ’1,000 Days‘ campaign will focus on much needed health and nutrition support in the critical first thousand days of the life of a child: from conception through pregnancy, to childbirth, and through to the child’s second year and beyond,” said UNICEF Country Representative Lotta Sylwander.

"UNICEF greatly appreciates Anne’s initiative to raise funds to support the critical needs of young children's health and well-being. She is personally leading this event and has mobilised her own networks and resources to make it happen.” Added Sylwander, "I accompanied Anne on her first field visit with us. She is committed not only to learn, but also to contribute in changing the lives of the Filipino children for the better. Her popularity and large fan base is an asset in drawing due attention to the needs of Filipino children.”

The run will feature a 500-metre dash for kids (age 12 and below); 5k, 10K, and 21K.

Online registration for the Heroes for Children Run is open at www.takbo.phzheroesforchildren until 11 October 2015. In-store registration will run from 23 September to 21 October 2015 at the following Chris Sports outlets:

SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North Edsa, SM City BF Paranaque, Glorietta, and Market! Market!

Organised through running partners Leadpack and Takbo.ph, the Heroes for Children Run is presented through the support of SM Mall of Asia, PSBank, Double Dragon Properties Corporation, Enervon, SM Accessories, Belo Essentials, Cherry Mobile, Jack ’n Jill, Toy Kingdom, SM Cares, Philippine Star, Nyxsys Philippines Inc., Chris Sports and Discovery Suites.

To know more about the run and UNICEF’s programmes, visit www.unicef.ph or call 758-1000 (Mondays to Friday, 9:00 am. to 6:00 pm).