Southwestern Michigan College is sponsoring an 8K Dirty Bird Mud Run Saturday, March 31, on it Dowagiac campus and Roadrunner Trails.

A spaghetti dinner and silent auction will be held the Friday evening, March 30.

Net proceeds from both events will fund a scholarship for military veteran students at Southwestern Michigan College.

The Dirty Bird is a challenging 8K (five-mile) race combining military-style obstacles (eight to 10 obstacles), hilly terrain, mud and whatever bonus Michigan weather provides. Three-person teams will compete in one of three divisions based on fitness and experience. Participants must be 18 years old or older on the day of the race.

Registration cost per person is $25. Participants can register and pay online by going to dirtybird.swmich.edu. There will be no registration on race day. The race begins at 10 a.m. with a half hour staggered start based on divisions.

A pre-race spaghetti dinner and captain’s meeting will be from 6 until 8:30 p.m. March 30 in the Mathews Conference Center West, located in the Fred L. Mathews Library on college’s Dowagiac campus. Cost of the dinner is $15. A silent auction and entertainment will also be held Friday night.

You do not have to participate in the race to attend the spaghetti dinner or bid at the silent auction.

The captain’s meeting will take place at 7 p.m. when race instructions, packets and pre-ordered T-shirts can be picked up. Participants may also register Friday evening for the race. Participants will not receive a free T-shirt. T-shirts are $10 each if pre-ordered and $15 on race day. T-shirts can be ordered online.

Honor flags are available for those who want to recognize a current or former military service member. The flags, printed with a personalized message, cost $10 each and can be purchased online. You do not have to participate in the race to buy honor flags

Race organizers are seeking volunteers for the Friday evening spaghetti dinner and for various activities on race day. This is a great opportunity for student clubs and community organizations to donate their time to a worthy cause. If you would like to volunteer, contact Michelle Harlow at mharlow@swmich.edu or call (574) 850-0405.

Runners of the Dirty Bird will sprint from the starting line and immediately face two major obstacles before advancing through the unforgiving hills of SMC’s storied cross-country trails, navigating the muddy “Dirty Bird” ravine, and finally facing another set of obstacles leading to the finish line. A map of the course can be viewed online.

All team members must reach an obstacle before it can be attempted; all team members must complete the obstacle before moving on to the next. Team effort is paramount for the final completion of this event. Awards will be given to the top team in each division.

For more information, go to dirtybird.swmich.edu or email dirtybird@swmich.edu.