Allegany College of Maryland continues the celebration of its 50^th anniversary on Saturday, March 10, when it stages a five-kilometer run that will allow participants to retrace the college’s history and support student scholarships as they do.

Named for ACM’s founding president, the Dr. Robert Zimmer Memorial Run starts at the Carver Community Center on Frederick Street, where the former Allegany Community College began, and ends on the present-day campus along Willowbrook Road.

To make the celebration more inclusive, this Queen City Striders-assisted event also features a one-mile outing for walkers. It takes place on the popular one-mile community track that circumnavigates ACM’s athletic fields.

Walkers on the gravel track will follow a course featuring signage that commemorates each of the college’s five decades of service to Allegany County, the tri-state area and surrounding region. Spectators are welcome at both of these benefit events, which start at 9:00 a.m.

The 5K race begins outside the former Carver School building at 340 Frederick St., where ACM started in 1961. The course leads for two miles from there through Decatur Street and Baltimore Avenue, along Willowbrook Road, where the college relocated in 1969, and into the campus. The final mile of the 5K event will be run on the community track.

Awards will be presented in the 5K run to male and female runners overall and in the master age range. Awards also will be presented to the top-three runners in the age groups of 14 and under through 60 and older and the five-year increments in between.

The cost to register as a runner or walker is discounted through Feb. 15 ($12), with the price increasing through March 9 ($15) and rising again on race-day ($20). Long-sleeved cotton shirts will be given to pre-registered participants and while supplies last for those who register from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. March 10.

Runners and walkers are encouraged to remain on campus after the race for refreshments, presentation of awards and random drawing of prizes. Special 5K tote bags bearing the race name and the college’s 50^th anniversary logo will be presented to each of the age-group finalists.

The College Center will be used for both pre- and post-race activities. As parking is limited at the Carver site, runners are urged to park on the Cumberland campus and to take college-operated shuttle transportation to Frederick Street.

To stage the race, the college is collaborating with the Cumberland Police Department, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police and the Maryland State Highway Administration in addition to the Striders running group.

Proceeds from the run and walk benefit student scholarships administered by the ACM Foundation, the official sponsor of the Dr. Robert Zimmer Memorial Run. More information, including the registration form, is available on the college Web site, www.allegany.edu/anniversary.

Race registration forms are also available on the Cumberland campus, including the Information Center, Library and Campus Store, in ACM’s Culinaire Café on Baltimore Street in downtown Cumberland, and in many area fitness centers and gyms. They also will be placed at ACM’s Pennsylvania campuses in Everett and Somerset.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Shauna McQuade, race director, at 301-784-5154, or David Jones, ACM Foundation executive director, at 301-784-5350.