Sign up for the Arm of Hope 5K, and every step you take will provide education, mentorship and hope to children living in the slums of Ghana, Africa.

The 12th annual race will take place on Saturday, May 3, at Hope Community Church, 1806 Harrisburg Ave., Mount Joy. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the race will step off at 9 a.m.

"This inspiring event offers participants an opportunity to turn their strides into life-changing support for children living in poverty," said Greg Grove, who is coordinating the race with Keith Franz.

The 5K will feature a flat course, ideal for both runners and walkers. A variety of door prizes will be offered, along with baked goods for the top finishers in each age bracket. The top male and top female overall finishers of the race, along with winners in the master's brackets - for those over age 40 - will receive a handcrafted wooden trophy from Ghana, Grove said.

A chicken barbecue will be available to purchase by donation so participants can take lunch home with them. The meal will include a chicken leg and thigh, a baked potato, a homemade roll and a whoopie pie. Pickup for the chicken barbecue will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the barbecue is open to members of the public even if they are not participating in the 5K. The chicken barbecue is available for preorder only by Sunday, April 27. To order, visit www.armofhopeinghana.org/bbq.

The event is a fundraiser for the Arm of Hope camp in Ghana, which provides weeklong camps for students of elementary and high school age. Camp provides an opportunity for children to get out of the slums of Ghana and have fun, all while learning about the love of Jesus.

"This will be the 11th year for the camp," Grove shared. "The first year, there were 190 campers over two weeks. This year, from July 27 to Aug. 8, we are expecting 1,000!"

Arm of Hope is a ministry that provides food, education and health care to children in need.

"The goal of the camp is to give kids an all-day Bible school-type experience ... with a safe place to get three meals a day; a mattress to sleep on; fun games; sports; Bible lessons; worship; crafts; teaching time; small group time; and special days and events like a bonfire, beach day and a soccer tournament," Grove shared. "It's really a reflection of Arm of Hope's mission, which is, 'To stretch arms of compassion to children living in poverty in the slums of Ghana, providing them with the opportunity of education and introducing them to the love of Jesus, giving them real hope for their futures.'"

Online advance registration is requested for the 5K and will guarantee a race T-shirt, but race-day registration will also be accepted. The deadline for registering online is Thursday, May 1.

To register, visit www.armofhopeinghana.org/5k. Grove also encouraged people to sponsor a participant at the same website.