The Haiti Connection will be hosting their 19th annual 5K “Run-Walk for Non-Violence Dash & Dine” at 10 a.m. Saturday. They will be meeting with runners at the Newman Catholic Center.

The Haiti Collection is a part of the Newman Catholic Center and the group raises awareness and funds to help eliminate injustices impacting the third world, specifically Haiti.

The group focuses on this country because it is one of the poorest in the Western hemisphere and the group takes two mission trips to Haiti a year.

The Haiti Collection also encourages students and community members to become involved with sponsoring a Haitian child’s education.

Participants can register by Friday with a $20 donation, or pay a $25 donation the day of the race. All of the registration donations can be paid at the Newman Catholic Center.

Roxanne Sorci, president of the Haiti Connection, said all of the proceeds would go to bettering the lives of people in Haiti.

“This can be anything from using the money to purchase a cistern for a family that needs access to water because they walk six hours to get drinking water in the mountains of Barasa, or to taking a family out of abject poverty so they no longer have to sleep on a dirt floor under a roof made out of twigs through our Espapa Dou Me program,” Sorci said. “It really varies, our money that we fundraise goes to a lot of projects.”

Emily Malone, chair of the Haiti Connection and 5K, said the group included a lunch after the 5K to welcome all participants to learn about their cause, which is also the reason the group named the run “Dash & Dine.”

We are a small group on campus but would love for anyone to get to know us, understand what we are about and join us in our mission,” Malone said. “I think this run has the potential to bring our community together and promote a cause that is much bigger than ourselves.”

Malone said she has always been passionate about running since she has been running cross-country since middle school, and was excited for the 5K.

“I was excited to be chair for this event because I was given the chance to meet so many people in the community here,” Malone said. “It made me realize how fortunate I am to go to school here where people genuinely care about one another.”

Malone said the businesses that partnered with the Haiti Connection were eager help be a part of helping the people of Haiti.

So far, 35 people have signed up for the run-walk after the group spent much of their time was spent reaching out to community members.

“(The run) will raise awareness for non-violence, bring the Charleston and EIU community closer and get the word out about Haiti Connection and our passion for the mission,” Sorci said.

Anyone is welcome to register for the 5K or pay their dues on Saturday.

Abbey Whittington can be reached at 581-2812 or anwhittington@eiu.edu