February 3, 2009 — Entrants are being sought for a 5-kilometer run and walk to be held Saturday on the Grounds of the University of Virginia. The race will raise funds to build an ecologically friendly Habitat for Humanity home in Charlottesville.

The ecoMOD 5k will begin at 9 a.m. on the Newcomb Hall Plaza, located next to the University Bookstore on Emmet Street.

Registration costs $10 prior to race day or $12 on Saturday. Participants may register by going to Ragged Mountain Running Shop on Elliewood Avenue or by filling out the registration form online.

The first 100 registrants will receive free drawstring sports sacks, courtesy of Ragged Mountain Running Shop. The top three male and female finishers will be awarded prizes at the closing ceremony. Refreshments will be provided at the finish.

Paid parking is available in the Emmet Street Parking Garage below the University Bookstore.

The race is being organized by ecoMOD, a program at U.Va. that designs, builds and evaluates modular, environmentally sustainable housing units for low-income families. The ecoMOD team is an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate and graduate U.Va. students studying architecture, engineering, economics, environmental science and other disciplines.

Proceeds from the race will help the ecoMOD team build a home with Habitat for Humanity for a family in Charlottesville.