Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Fund

On a cool, bright evening, a large truck hit and killed Sidney in an Andover crosswalk. Sidney was a soft-spoken and smiley girl with springy curls. She was curious, creative, and loved her community. On her fifth birthday she asked for a rainbow party because “it’s all the colors of my friends and family.” The Rainbow Fund was established to help that spirit live on by giving other children a chance live like a rainbow - limitless and free. Sidney had the privilege to live an active life, and we loved watching her continuously tap into her vast potential. She danced. She ran. She skied. She spent her time in school mostly outside, following her curiosity and embracing the spirit of teamwork. In her honor, we’re dedicated to making sure kids everywhere have that same opportunity to access active lives without limits. Today, our volunteer teams work across three focus areas - creating safer neighborhoods for kids to move around, opening access to curiosity-based education, and fostering a love of running in children. You can find us throughout Boston-area communities every week, running with Sidney’s Rainbow Runners, participating in Andover’s Complete Streets team, partnering with the FeasterFive Road Race, and raising awareness for ways to make our streets safer every Saturday at the Andover Farmer’s Market. We will always have a glaring void in our lives, but our hope is that Sidney’s spirit can fill in missing pieces in the lives of thousands of children everywhere.