The Corps of Cadets will hold its 40th annual March to the Brazos Saturday morning to raise funds for March of Dimes, an organization that advocates for prenatal health research and education.

The March to the Brazos, an 18-mile march beginning at the Quad and ending at the Texas A&M Beef Center by the Brazos River, is the largest college-run fundraiser in the country for March of Dimes. 

This yearthe goal was set at $180,000, said Ryan Kreider, incoming public relations officer for March to the Brazos and sports management junior. Kreider said $70,000 has been raised so far.

“Regardless of us meeting our goal or not, that’s $70,000 that we’ve raised in one year for March of Dimes and that’s incredible if you think about it,” Kreider said. “So we’re proud regardless of if we meet our goal — we set high expectations so that even if we don’t meet them, we still do extraordinary things.”

The money raised from March to the Brazos goes toward funding local research and programs aimed at preventing birth defects, premature death and infant mortality.

“We are the only university in the United States that does research for the March of Dimes,” Kreider said. “So all this money we’re raising is staying here locally, going towards research done by our own Aggies for the March of Dimes.”

Donations for March to the Brazos close at 12 p.m. Friday.