Members of the Arnold Air Society’s TSgt. Robert E. Lamotte Squadron participate in the annual POW/MIA 5K Walk/Run. This year’s event starts at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Michigan Technological University Reserve Officer Training Corps building. (Photo provided by TSgt. Robert E. Lamotte Squadron)

HOUGHTON — An annual running event helps bring awareness to the issue of prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action as well as raise money for a local veterans post.

The POW/MIA Memorial 5K Run/Walk is being held at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Building at Michigan Technological University. It’s put on every year by the Arnold Air Society’s TSgt. Robert E. Lamotte Squadron. The society is a professional honorary service organization, with the local squadron made up of cadets from Tech’s Air Force ROTC. 

The race draws attention to the issue of POWs and MIAs, said Amanda Austin, the squadron’s operations officer. More than 80,000 American service personnel are missing from previous conflicts, about 38,000 of whom are estimated to be recoverable, according to the Department of Defense. 

“These people, they’ve made sacrifices for our country and help support our way of life,” Austin said. “A lot of people take for granted the fact that we have the freedoms we have today, so it’s important to honor our veterans and the people who make that freedom possible.”

All money raised from the run will go to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 4624 in Hubbell. 

The race began several years ago, inspired by an Arnold Air Society cadet with close ties to the VFW post, Austin said. It’s continued in the years since then, with cadets helping out with serving food for the Veterans Day dinners and assisting in other events. 

The route starts at the ROTC building, then proceeds down the Waterfront Trail to the Portage Lake Lift Bridge before circling back. 

Registration opens at 8 a.m. the day of the race. There is a $20 registration fee. Participants also enter a raffle that will be held after the run. Many local businesses have donated to the raffle, Austin said. 

In most years, there are between 70 to 100 participants, she said. 

“I think people from the community like being able to support their own community, be able to support local veterans,” she said. “That’s what this run is. It’s providing support for our community. That’s what draws in our members, as well as having a fun run along the Houghton shoreline on a warm October day.”