The Student Dietetics Association will host Lauren’s Run at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Panther Trail.

The 5k run/walk is in honor of Lauren Leffler, a former Eastern student and a Student Dietetics Association member who was killed by a drunk driver on June 24, 2012.

This is the third year the SDA has sponsored the run/walk.

Shae Hoffman, a junior family and consumer sciences major, said Leffler’s family members will be in attendance for the event.

“She has a huge family and they are all coming down to support,” Hoffman said.

A member of the family will speak at the event to remember Lauren.

Lauren Dowd, a junior family and consumer and sciences major, said it is important to keep the tradition of the run going because it brings the community closer together in a time of tragedy.

“People think ‘Oh, it will never happen to us because these things don’t happen to us,’” Dowd said. “But it’s good to remember how real it is and how many people it can affect.”

Dowd said the run/walk is something small that the group can do that not only affected Lauren’s family, but her friends as well.

The members of Alpha Gamma Delta, the sorority Lauren was in, registered all their member for the run to support, but will not be in attendance because of Greek Sing rehearsals.

As of Tuesday, over 100 people were signed up and donations were given from people in the Charleston community as we all the Bloomington area where Lauren was from.

Jacquelyn Monroe, a senior family and consumer sciences major, said it is important for the Eastern students and Charleston community members to take part in the event to stand against drunk driving.

“This (drunk driving) has got to stop,” Monroe said. “We need to be more conscious and aware of our actions because they can affect other peoples lives.”

Monroe will be running on behalf of the SDA and Eastern as a whole.

Check in starts at 1:30 p.m. at the Panther Pavilion. Registration is $12 and includes a t-shirt.

All proceeds will go to Mother’s Against Drunk Driving.

Cayla Maurer can be reached at 581-2812 or ccmaurer@eiu.edu.