Echo Lake Color Challenge draws 172 runners, raises funds for water quality

EAST CHARLESTON, Vt., The Echo Lake Protective Association held its 10th annual Echo Lake Color Challenge on July 5, drawing 172 participants from eight states. The 5K race along the lake's shores raised money for water quality initiatives.

Dillon Stoeffler was the top male finisher with a time of 18:18. Stephanie Loomis repeated as top female finisher, crossing in 25:30. Both received commemorative mugs and prizes.

The event, first held in 2015, benefits the Echo Lake Protective Association, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the lake's water quality. Twenty-five local businesses sponsored the race, 32 volunteers assisted, and more than 70 raffle prizes were donated by area merchants and farms.

Photo: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.