For more information, contact: Kimberly Miller Cloverdale Church of Christ Public Relations 540-204-2376 kmille11@harding.

edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Manna 5K supports mission work in the Dominican Republic SEARCY, Ark. The Manna 5K Run/Walk will be held Saturday, April 6 at 9 a. m. to raise funds for Manna Global Ministries to construct a new school in Bobita, Dominican Republic. The course will begin at First Security Stadium at Harding University, wind through campus and end back at the stadium. Manna Global Ministries is a nonprofit organization that serves the people of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Swaziland by building and maintaining schools and childrens homes. The Dominican Republic campus also gives youth groups from the U.S. an idea of what life is like for a missionary who lives in a developing country. The youth group at Cloverdale Church of Christ has taken several trips to the Bobita campus and sought to find a way to help raise the money needed to build another school. According to Pulpit Minister, Karl McLarty, the goal of the event is to give the teens and the community of Searcy an opportunity to connect to Bobita in an easy but powerful way. We needed a way to connect the experience to home, something they could do that would benefit the situation, McLarty said. It seemed like this race would be an opportunity to bring home this greater world view that these young people have gained and to assist with the needs in Bobita. Although only a small group of people can travel to Bobita every summer, a large group of people can be involved in the ministry just by participating in the race. Sponsors from the community have covered all expenses for the event including T-shirts, refreshments, flyers and gifts for runners so all the registration fees will go directly to building the new school. I think people will want to be involved because its not a huge commitment and it doesnt take that much time, Kendall Lowe, who has visited Manna, said. Its a one time thing that can really make a difference in Bobita. The course will start on the track at First Security Stadium, then participants will go by the Rhodes Memorial Field House and the Pryor-England Science Center, make a loop around Harding Park and the bike trail behind the intramural fields and then return to the track to finish the race. The planning committee chose to have the race on Harding campus because it includes students and it is a safe, flat and scenic course.

The cost of the race is $15 for students and $20 for adults. Those interested can register at Raceit.com and use the keyword manna to find the race. Participants can also register the day of the race at 8 a.m. ###