Students and community members have a chance to get dirty for a cause.

Students of the Recreation Programming and Leadership class are hosting The Dirty Bird 5K Challenge on Friday to raise money for Treyton Kilar’s Field of Dreams.

The obstacle course will feature pyramids, hay bails, tire runs, balance beams and other natural obstacles.

Jan Bilgen, instructor of the class, said she believes it is important for students to learn the theories and concepts of recreation programming but to also put them into practice.

Senior Chelsea Dertz, one of the students in charge of the event, said the class was divided into three groups and each group had to organize an event.

The groups were given $50 to plan, organize and promote their event. Dertz said they were also in charge of finding sponsors.

Dertz’s group had to highlight a non-traditional sport so they choose to do an obstacle course.

Junior Carey Passer, who is also working on the event, said the idea came from the other obstacle courses such as the Tough Mudder and Dirty Girl.

As of last week, there was one team and 12 individuals signed up for the Dirty Bird Challenge Passer said.

Anyone 18 or older can participate in the event. It costs $15 per person or $60 for teams of five. Everyone who signs up will receive a T-shirt.

There will be a DJ and Vinny’s Sausages will sponsor the event. For each package of sausages sold, $2 will benefit Treyton Kilar’s Field of Dreams.

Sign-up forms are available in Williams Center room 100 or on the Dirty Bird 5K Challenge Facebook page.

Passer said he does not have a set goal for the amount of money he wants to raise. He said it is more about getting the word out there and having people support the cause.

“To me it hasn’t come down to money at all,” he said. “It’s about people coming out to support Treyton Kilar. If we have more spectators than runners, I’ll be ok with that as long as people are there to support Treyton.”

Dertz said she wanted to make sure the group was doing all the work so Treyton’s family could receive the proceeds.

“This is a gift to them,” she said. “We want to do what we can to help them reach their goal.”

Dertz said it was a class decision to benefit Treyton Kilar’s Field of Dreams. She said they wanted the money raised to go towards a good cause.

Bilgen said she thinks it was a great idea that the students decided to benefit Treyton Kilar. She said the other groups have already raised more than $700 from their events.

Mary Kilar, Treyton’s mother, said she and her family are amazed at the UW-Whitewater students and their continued support.

“We really stand in awe of the compassion and the kindness that college students and our town has shown towards this project,” she said. “They have just really jumped on board to support the cause. “