At 9 a.m. Saturday, about 175 people will meet in front of Old Main – the beginning of the EIU/Charleston 2.5 km Homecoming race.

This is the eighth year of the race and the creator of the event, John Pommier, said it is a race for everyone.

“We get everybody from kids that are four years of age to top (wheelchair) athletes from the University of Illinois,” Pommier said. “My wife and three of my kids are going to participate this year. In fact, their friends are (also) going to get into it.”

The participants will run down Seventh Street and wrap around the courthouse in downtown Charleston, and eventually wind up back at Old Main.

Pommier said this would be a fairly short race, especially since the running downhill will make the participants go faster.

Students of Pommier’s benefit from this race because they learn about the planning process. Many alumni also help out.

“I have a finance class that (is) associated with registration, collecting money, and understanding the cost and profit analysis,” Pommier said. “I have a class (that is) focusing on working with individual disabilities.”

This will be Brenden Cannon’s third year helping out with the event. The senior therapeutic recreation major will be a coordinator, and is in charge of donations and awards.

“The hardest part (was) acquiring donations. I have been through this process before and it is frustrating and time-consuming,” Cannon said.

Cannon said that he had to contact a lot of businesses for donations, and it was hard for him to get in contact with them.

Although Cannon does not enjoy running, he thinks that other students will enjoy running the race because it is a good chance to get together with family.

Erica Thompson, a senior recreation administration major, has been involved with the race for four years. Her job is to time the race.

“I am most looking forward to seeing all the participants – no matter their disability -compete in the race,” she said. “I also look forward to hearing their stories.”

Pommier said that one of the best things, and the biggest motivator about the race, is the crowd cheering for participants.

He also said that if someone breaks a record, they will get to have their name on the back of the Homecoming race t-shirt.

McDonald’s will provide prizes such as gift packages and certificates that will entitle a participant to either a free grilled chicken sandwich or a kid’s meal.

Everyone who participates in the race will receive a prize.

Cannon is glad that the race is a part of the Homecoming festivities.

“Usually people just think of tailgating and the football game, but there are a ton of other things to see, and this is one of them,” Cannon said.