A group of Missouri S&T students will sponsor a five-kilometer run/walk to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research next month.

The Great Strides 5K Run/Walk will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, beginning at the Ber Juan Park pavilion on 14th Street in Rolla. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 11 a.m. The public is invited to participate.

Sponsor forms are available on campus in Missouri S&T’s biological sciences department in Room 105 Schrenk Hall, or by contacting Dr. David J. Westenberg, associate professor of biological sciences, at 341-4798, or by email at djwesten@mst.edu. Sponsor forms can also be downloaded from the SCRUBS website at web.mst.edu/~scrubs/. Those who are unable to participate but would like to sponsor a walker or runner may contact Westenberg to do so.

“Last year we raised almost $2,000 with more than 20 participants, which is double what we raised the previous year,” Westenberg says. “Our goal this year is to have more than 30 participants and raise more than $3,000.”

The walk is sponsored by members of the Missouri S&T SCRUBS, made up of the university’s pre-health profession students.

All proceeds from the walk will be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The foundation raises funds for research into the life-threatening genetic disease which affects the lungs and digestive system. “Our most important task is to raise awareness about cystic fibrosis and to make gains in the quality of life of those who suffer from it,” says Westenberg.

Prizes will be awarded for walkers who raise large donations, but all participants who raise at least $100 will receive an official Cystic Fibrosis Foundation T-shirt.

For more information or to request a sponsor form, contact Westenberg. Information is also available from the Missouri S&T biological sciences department at 573-341-4831.