In response to ongoing conflict in Darfur, a group of Arapahoe seniors have decided to continue tradition built upon last year's Orange Crushing Hunger to raise awareness and donations to help the genocide-ravaged region of Sudan.

Donations made for running a 5K run/walk and a 3K Hot Dog-A-Thon will be given to International Medical Corps, a nonprofit organization that recruits doctors, nurses and other health care workers, trains them and sends them as medical relief to suffering areas. The 5K and 3K runs cost $25 a runner, which includes a free t-shirt and the 1K is $15. The 3K Hot Dog-A-Thon will include eat 1 hot dog every kilometer.

Last year, Orange Crushing Hunger raised over $12,000 for Heifer International by hosting 1K, 5K and 3K Hot-Dog-A-thon charity races at deKoevendPark. For every $120 donated, one goat was given to an impoverished family in Africa.

After last years seniors graduated the torch passed to senior Eric Veith. He and four other students organized "Devourin' Dogs for Darfur," a similar event to be held at deKoevendPark on April 22.

Last's years event was called "Orange Crushing Hunger" which included a 1K walk/run, a 5K run and a 3K Hot Dog-A-Thon which is what they are continuing to do this year. In total, last year's race made over $12,000. Even though the event came from a group of senior organizers, overall, it united them as a class as well as brought the community in on the charity event and a relationship with the school.

"We chose this charity because IMC is different," event organizer Katie Brown, senior said. "They go to impoverished countries and train local people to be doctors. We thought it was cool because instead of just giving them temporary relief they leave a long standing gift of medical care."

In Darfur there are constant, armed clashes between the Muslim Janjaweed militia group and the non-Muslims. The Sudanese government, which has been providing the Janjaweed with money and assistance, has been methodically targeting and killing the Fur, Zagaawa and Massaleit ethnic groups in Darfur since July 2003.

As of September U.N. officials estimate over 400,000 people have lost their lives and some two million more have been driven from their homes. Thousands of women have been raped by members of the Janjaweed, who use rape as a weapon. Culturally, raped women are considered impure and ostracized. Women are even raped in open, public places to increase humiliation.

"Obviously they need help," event organizer Aryn O'Donnell, senior, said. "IMC has a very specific goal of leaving something that the people of Darfur can use for the rest of their lives."

"The planning so far has gone really smoothly," Brown said. "We had the road paved for us last year. The main problem has been not being sponsored by the school. The administration has not approved it because they don't think we can get it done."

Brown, and her team of core organizers held a meeting where over 60 students came but a team of only five is organizing the event, but "everyone's help is needed and much appreciated," Veith said.

The Devourin' Dogs for Darfur will take pre-registration forms and donations at both lunches, April 16 - 20 in the cafeteria. And also registration and information will be available at Running Wild on County Line Rd. by Target. Everyone is able to register and encouraged to join to help Darfur.

Race day registration opens at 10 a.m. April 22, and the first race will begin at 1 p.m. T-Shirts will also be sold for $10 to non-participants. However, supplies are limited and only pre-registering for the race guarantees receiving a shirt the day of the race.

Along with the three races, there will also be a raffle of donated items from businesses around the community, The Bobblehead Buddha band (five senior boys from Arapahoe in a band) and many other great events.

"Our goal is that this becomes a thing done every year," O'Donnell said. "It's taking Arapahoe out into the community and world."