For the third year in a row, Lions Against Trafficking will host the LAT Electrik Run/Walk 5k to raise awareness and donations to help those who have escaped the clutches of sex slavery and help functionally integrate victims back into society. 

On Friday, March 20 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. those who have registered for the LAT run will meet at North Oak Park and either walk, run or come together in the fight against human sex trafficking. 

Though this run is made to be a fun experience for all, the president of LAT hopes people realize the bigger picture of why the event is being held. 

“Although the run will be an awesome experience and an amazing event, the run serves a bigger purpose,” said Jonathan Jee, junior business administration and accounting major. “The revenue we get from the run will go to the Hope House US, which directly works with restoration of girls who have escaped sex slavery. Just because someone might have escaped human trafficking, doesn’t mean they are free yet. Being a slave is a traumatic experience, and you can’t just pop back into work and act like it never happened. There needs to be a reintegration process, and that’s what Hope House US does. They help in the final step in helping these girls become truly free again, and by helping Hope House through the run, we are helping in the final step of reintegration and restoration.”

Those who may not want to run for the entire, or part of the time, are encouraged to still come out, even if only to hang out. 

“The run [last year] was actually very fun,” said Jee. “I don’t enjoy running that much, but knowing that you are doing it with your friends and knowing that it is for a good cause makes you enjoy it a lot more. Many people are turned away when they see ‘run’ or ‘5k,’ so in order to encourage the fact that anyone can participate, we included walk [in the title of the event].”

Along with the run, the event will also include music by DJ_Wave, a neon paint fight, raffle, food and a glow run. 

Tickets for the event start at $10 and include admission to the run as well as a runner’s bag. An additional charge will be needed for food, participation in the neon fight after the run, T-shirt, the $1 raffle and to participate competitively during the event. First through third place participants will receive a prize if they paid the $5 run fee.

Registration for the event ends tonight at midnight to ensure that the correct amount of needed materials for the race are purchased. If you have questions on how to get involved or possibly participate after the registration date passes, email [email protected]. 

To learn more about LAT, visit their Facebook page. To learn about human trafficking, visit traffickinghope.com.