UPDATE: EAST LANSING - Runners gather this year for the 18th Annual Race for the Place.

"This is the fourth time I've done it, it has become an annual event. We are really fired up about the cause, coming out to support the domestic women' shelter. There is a big group of us that do it together every year," said Catherine Ellis.

Outside the 5K takes place along the Red Cedar River while inside there is the annual Clothesline Project.

Rebecca Zader, the Clothesline Caretaker, said, "When people walk over and initially they start reading the t shirts you know, you can kind of see how they stop and sort of linger and I think they don't really know initially what they're coming up to, and then when they start reading it they sort of get really internal and sort of just watch it. And I think that sort of helps bring awareness what the race is about, what it's benefiting."

And what it's all about is the MSU Safe Place.

Holly Rosen, Director of MSU Safe Place said, "While Michigan State University is the only campus in the country to have a domestic violence shelter, domestic violence happens in all communities, we're no different. The thing thats different is that we're proactive about the services that we provide for our community."

This event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Safe Place.

"The race was fine, it went well. Everything seemed well organized, and I didn't see any problems. People seemed to be having fun," said one of the Race for the Place participants.

And Catherine Ellis said, "It went great, ran my personal best."

The race was the first of 12 races taking part in the 2012 Playmakers Race Series. In East Lansing, Lauren Hansard, HOMTV.

If you would like to donate to MSU Safe Place you can visit their website at www.msu.edu/unit/safe.

ORIGINAL STORY: EAST LANSING - The MSU Safe Place held their 18th Annual 5K Race for the Place at MSU Sunday. HOMTV's Meridian Magazine has the details.