People will crawl, walk and run to the finish line Saturday to help raise money for military programs at Georgia Southern University.

GSU’s ROTC program will host the fourth annual Snacks for Soldier’s 5K/10K race this Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m.

“This is Georgia Southern, this is the Eagle nation and this is a place where people believe in giving,” Colonel George Frederick, director of military affairs, said.

This year the event will include a 10K option along with a pre-race pasta party and electronic chip timing to track the runners’ time during the race. It is $20 to register before and $30 for day-of registration.

Captain Craig Anderson said that this event has been successful and continues to grow each year.

“The race itself is just a way to bring the community in and see the military side of the campus and see what we do,” Anderson said.

There will also be first, second and third place winners in each age group and a top overall male and female winner for both the 5K and the 10K. The race will begin at the Recreation Activity Center and will continue down Akins Road and through campus.

“I am really excited to participate in this event.  I love running in 5ks for the university. This will be my fifth one this year. I’m excited to run with colleagues of mine,” Lloyd Graham, Southern Courtyard resident director and 5K participant, said.

To start off the event, cadets who want to go to air assault school will run a 12-mile road march.  They will leave at 4:30 a.m., and should cross the finish line right before the race starts at 7:30 a.m. If they are able to do it in that time frame, they meet the criteria to try out for air assault school.

“I’m excited about it because I love running, and I like doing stuff to help the community and the soldiers across because I will be them one day,” Rashelle Postell, senior sociology major and ROTC cadet, said.

The proceeds will go toward Snacks for Soldiers and the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Snack for Soldiers program provides snacks and non-perishable food items to soldiers in Afghanistan. Since last year’s event, ROTC has sent 6,000 individual snacks and non-perishables to the programs.

People that will be in the race are not the only ones who can participate.  Anyone can donate or volunteer to help by encouraging runners or handing out water. Anyone who wants to register, donate or volunteer can do so online.

Anderson said, “If you support your military and if [you] haven’t had the chance to reach out and touch any soldiers that have been deployed, this is the way to do it indirectly.”