The Travis Manion Foundation will host its annual State College 9/11 Heroes Run 5k race at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, September 23.

The event will begin at the Bryce Jordan Center and will be held in the spirit of remembrance for the nearly 3,000 lives lost on September 11, 2001. The 5k race will also serve as a means to honor our military and the first responders that serve the United States selflessly day in and day out.

At the State College version of the Heroes run, a special importance is placed on remembering the ten Penn State alumni that perished on 9/11. The Heroes Run will also honor USMC Captain Samuel Schultz this year, a Penn State alumnus who passed away after a helicopter crash in April while training in Southern California.

A portion of the proceeds from the 9/11 Heroes 5k will benefit the Travis Manion foundation which “empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations.” This year’s race was organized by Laura Krause and Robert Morss, who serve as the local race volunteer coordinators.

The Travis Manion Foundation was created in honor of Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who was killed by sniper fire in Iraq in April 2007. Travis died while protecting his battalion and is remembered as an American hero.

The 9/11 Heroes Run is a tribute to Manion’s personal commitment to never forget the lives lost on that day. He visited Rescue One in Manhattan before his deployment in order to gain perspective on why he was fighting in Iraq. After leaving the fire company, the Marine returned home with a deeper passion in regards to his service.

This year, the 9/11 Heroes 5k will be held in more than 50 locations across the globe. Last year, Heroes 5ks were attended by more than 30,000 people and $151,000 in proceeds were reinvested into the local race communities by the Travis Manion Foundation for the purpose of supporting veterans, military, first responders, and their families.

To learn more, donate, or register for the race, visit the Travis Manion Foundation website here.