More than 500 local residents and foreigners joined the Charity Happy Summer Camp in Changchun North Lake Wetland Park on July 18 and 19. The event raised 50,000 yuan ($8,055) for Xinjia Village School in Yitong county to improve teaching facilities.

Organized by Shangri-La Hotel, Changchun, the camp included a 5-kilometer colorful mini marathon, family exploration and baby treasure hunt activities.

The mini marathon saw colorful powder thrown into the air while families ran. Instead of pursuing speed, the marathon emphasized the "importance of participation, entertainment and color".

Participants got a unique running experience - runners were "colored" with corn flour from head to toe at every kilometer point. The powder was environmentally friendly and pollution-free.

Family exploration was a parent-child activity that required parents and their children to overcome four barriers. The family that completed all the tasks within the shortest time were crowned the winners.

The North Lake Wetland Park, also known as Changdongbei Urban Ecological Wetland Park, is a 4A national tourism resort with an area of 11.97 square kilometers.

With an investment of 3 billion yuan since it started in 2010, the wetland park has been selected as a pilot program for afforestation, wetland protection and landscaping by the State Forestry Administration.

liumingtai@chinadaily.com.cn