Marshall University’s student group Medlife is helping local and international communities Saturday with a 5k race.

Half of the proceeds from the event will benefit Lily’s Place in Huntington, a recovery center for infants who have been exposed to drugs through their mother’s drug use.

The other half of the proceeds from the race will benefit the project A House for Soledad.

Marshall Medlife Community Outreach Coordinator Jillian Mullins said Soledad is a woman who lives in Peru who was raped and had a child at a young age. The funds are to build a new house for the family.

Mullins said Medlife’s goal is to raise $2,500 to help build the house.

Medlife is a completely student run organization that began in August 2013.

Medlife Co-President Anna Lefevre has been involved in the student group since it started at Marshall.

“I’ve always wanted to bring the healthcare we have here to other people and help people that can’t help themselves,” Lefevre said.

This summer, Mullins said the Medlife group is headed to Ecuador to work in a mobile health clinic.

“It’s just a lot of really good experience and on top of that you’re helping a lot of people that need it,” Mullins said.

Mullins said she hopes the 5k becomes an annual event, and so far it is supported 100 percent by donations.

The race starts in front of the Memorial Student Center, takes two laps around campus, cuts through the middle of campus and finishes at the Memorial Fountain.

Participants can pick up race packets and register to run beginning at 7:30 a.m. and are asked to arrive by 8:30 a.m.

Runners are asked to bring a photo ID or registration confirmation to pick up race packets.

The race starts at 9 a.m. and will happen rain or shine.

Runners can register the morning of the race for $25.

Kasey Madden can be contacted at [email protected].