The city of Harlan will be the site of the Harlan ARH 5k Run and Walk, a benefit event aimed at helping out local cancer patients with some expenses.

The 5K will take place at 8 p.m. on Aug. 4. Pre-registration is $15 and can be done at the Harlan Civic Center, Harris Insurance Office and the financial counseling office at Harlan ARH Hospital. You may also register the day of the event for a fee of $20. Proceeds will go to support local cancer patients.

The 5K is being organized by Boone Allison, a student of Milligan College in Johnson City, Tennessee, who is currently an administrative intern at Harlan ARH Hospital.

“I’m the event planner for the 5K,” Allison said. “While I was interning at Harlan ARH, I noticed they have a fund to help local cancer patients with costs their insurance doesn’t cover, such as gas, and I thought that was an awesome thing.”

According to Allison, he came up with the idea of a benefit when he discovered the fund was running low.

“So, to attempt to raise more money for our cancer patients and help them through their treatment, I started organizing this 5K,” Allison explained.

Allison did consider other types of events before settling on a 5K.

“I’m a tennis player, so I thought about doing a tennis tournament,” Allison said. “But, there just aren’t that many people in Harlan that play tennis, so a 5K is the best thing I could come up with.”

Allison explained the 5K will take the same route as the Harlan County Run with Color — beginning at the Harlan Center, weaving through town and ending up back at the Harlan Center.