The Phi Theta Kappa Alumni of Washburn University will host a 5 kilometer race April 1 as a fundraiser for the organization.

PTKAW will be giving away gift cards as prizes at the race. There is no fee to participate in the event, although PTKAW will be accepting donations. The 5k will be the organization’s primary fundraiser for this year and 50 percent of the proceeds will go directly to PTKAW. The other half of donations will be split between two beneficiaries.

“Twenty-five percent of the proceeds are going to the Committee Health Ministry,” said Paul Flumen, secretary of Phi Theta Kappa Alumni of Washburn University. “They are a regional, non profit organization that promotes hope and wellness. What they do, regionally, is they have facilities where they have medical and dental care for people in need. In their major facilities, they have a food pantry and an everything else pantry.”

The remaing donations will go to the Kansas/Nebraska Region of PTK.

“What that is, is the region-wide existence of PTK chapters at community colleges across Kansas and Nebraska,” Flumen said. “The donations provide colleges with PTK chapters the ability to grow and host their own fundraising events, and just

get the name out there in general.”

Email [email protected] to sign up as a runner or volunteer.

The race will start at the Washburn Terrace by the intersection of 21st Street and SW Washburn Avenue. The route will go around the campus perimeter and on the sidewalks of 21st Street with the finish line in Lot 11.

PTKAW is expecting runners from community colleges outside of Topeka, however their primary focus is on encouraging participation among Washburn students and the local running community.

“We have also set up meetings with student athlete organizations for their participation,” Flumen said. “We have all of these organizations which some of our members are a part of, like in the school of business, nursing school and other organizations throughout Washburn.”

The organization hopes to organize more races in the future with different themes, beneficiaries and prizes.

“We have talked about doing two runs per year, one in the fall and one in the spring,” Flumen said. “We’ve talked about having some degree of game competition, most likely table tennis, really anything that people would like, especially on campus for students. Ultimately, we’d turn to bake sales or anything in regards to selling goods. That would be a great way to network with students and the local community.”

Phi Theta Kappa is an interdisciplinary honor’s society for two year colleges. This includes community colleges and technical schools, such as Washburn Tech.

Students who join this organization are considered members for life and PTKAW is a student organization at Washburn extending that membership to the four year university.

PTKAW is unique to Washburn in that it is the only officially recognized alumni chapter in Kansas.

“Washburn offers the greatest population of PTK members due to its scholarship opportunities for members,” Flumen said. “We hope to spread and repay gratitude by sharing the opportunities provided to us by colleges such as Washburn. We hope to promote membership in PTK as well to second semester freshmen at those two year colleges who meet GPA requirements and got the letter in the mail inviting them to join our society. We want to make a lasting impression on the region, in all truth.”