Rockland — The fourth annual "Scare Me" 5-kilometer road race will take off on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 10:10 a.m. from Trackside Station Restaurant on Pleasant Street.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the “Go Malawi” runners program. Funds raised will be used to send orphaned children from Malawi, Africa, served by Union native Janet Littlefield, to school in 2012 and 2013.

Last year the runners' program raised enough to send more than 50 children to secondary school and one to college in Malawi as well as two students to Hebron Academy in Maine.

The late-season event Oct. 27 is the fourth and final race in the annual four-race series. The "Scare Me" 5K course will be new and is a beautiful run, mostly flat with a few rolling hills and stretches along the Rockland Harbor coastline, said Reade Brower, co-race director.

The new host is Trackside Station Restaurant at 4 Union Street (Eastern Railroad Station House). The business will have a special “hot” treat waiting for participants after the race.

Preregistration is $15 and day-of-the-race registration will be $18. Preregistration pickup and day-of-race registration will begin at 9 a.m. The start and finish will be at Trackside Station, with walkers and runners of all abilities invited to participate in the unique and fun event.

"[It is] a great way to welcome in the Halloween weekend," Brower said.

"A best-costume award will be one of the highlights of the day so come dressed to the nines," he said, adding that runners and walkers (including those with dogs and strollers) are welcome to participate.

Online registration is available at: http://www.active.com/5k-race/rockland-me/scare-me-5k-2012 or https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Rockland/2012ScareMe5K.

Registration also can be accomplished at the third floor of the Free Press Building, 8 North Main Street, Rockland, ME 04841.

Brower said there are special rates for those with six or more who want to form a team.

For more information on the race, email Brower at reade@freepressonline.com or call 207-691-3510.

Brower also said runners can join the “Go Malawi” team and "help us reach our 2012 goal of helping 60 orphaned children with a 'hand-up' and a chance for a productive life. We believe in 'running with a purpose, for a purpose' and that education is the only way out of poverty."

For more information about “Go Malawi,” visit the website at: go-malawi.org.

Brower said the fifth annual “Set the Pace 5K” will start the 2013 series on Jan. 1 and will again be hosted by Smokestack Grille in Camden.

Additionally, Brower said his group is looking for runners to join the 'Go Malawi' Marathon and Half-Marathon Team. "Our next “destination” team race is Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. Team members Troy Peasley, Russ Wolfertz (we hope), Andrew Bonarrigo, Rebecca Jacobs, Quincy McCarthy and Reade Brower will join our Hebron team members as we join thousands of other runners to run along the Vegas strip in a fun and spirited nighttime run," Brower said. "We will soon be choosing a destination marathon and half-marathon for spring 2013. 'Go Malawi' runners have organized team destination marathons and half-marathons that include the Death Valley Marathon, the Mardi Gras Rock and Roll Marathon, and last year we did the Nashville Country Music Marathon. To date, the team has raised [more than] $100,000 to help the orphaned population we serve."

Courier Publications sports staff can be reached by phone at 207-594-4401 or by email at sports@courierpublicationsllc.com.