The walking trail that outlines the main campus of Butler County Community College is exactly 1 mile long and is used widely by students and community members.

College administrators are trying to fill that trail with runners and walkers Sept. 20 for the first 5K fundraiser event at BC3.

Mikayla Moretti, special events director at BC3, said the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society planned the event to benefit the nursing department and scholarships at the school to highlight the growing program.

“We have a lot of people on our trail on a daily basis,” Moretti said. “It's a great way to get people on campus, great way to show off Victor K. Phillips building.”

Pioneer Pursuit is meant to be more than just a 5K. There also is a 1-mile walk scheduled, a 100-meter dash for kids and a yoga session; food and merchandise vendors also will be on-site.

Amanda Fleming, Phi Theta Kappa adviser, said the honors society also hopes to make Pioneer Pursuit a draw for the community.

“We would love to have 200 people either run or walk,” Fleming said. “There is something for everybody, even if you don't want to do the race. You can come, shop and watch the race.”

The organization has invited college alumni to the event as well, which Moretti said is meant to keep people involved in advocating for the college.

“It's the older generation helping the younger ones,” Moretti said. “It's kind of a mentorship thing as our students move on into the real world. That's why we have all these groups involved.”

Fleming said members of Phi Theta Kappa will present the project to the national honors society organization once its over as part of the group’s qualifications.

“Every year they do a college project, and a requirement to be a five-star chapter is to complete a college project,” Fleming said.

Money raised through the event will be given to scholarships aimed at nursing students, which Moretti said has been gaining in popularity in recent years. The addition of the Victor K. Phillips Nursing and Allied Health Building, which is under construction at BC3, will add to the program’s capacity.

Fundraising by the honors society will aid the new students filling the program’s capacity, Moretti said.

“We kind of wanted to highlight the nursing and allied health programs with the building going up,” Moretti said. “Our (Phi Theta Kappa) group, anything they raise is more than what we can do on our own.”

Registration for the 5K, 1-mile walk and yoga class is $20 per person; and the Kids Race is $5 per child. Registration on race day begins at 8 a.m., and the event is scheduled to last until 1 p.m. To register for the event, visit BC3.edu.