Northwestern State University’s graduate family nurse practitioner students are organizing a benefit for the brother of a fellow student. The students will hold a 5K race called Miracles for Josh, in Shreveport Saturday, Dec. 3. Proceeds will benefit Josh Lesniewski, brother of student Leah Reed.

The race will be held at Stoner Boat Launch in Shreveport. A half-mile fun run will begin at 8 a.m. and a 5K run/walk at 8:15 a.m. Registration is $20 and can be made through midnight Dec. 2 by visiting getmeregistered.com and clicking on the Miracles for Josh link. The website lists information on packet pick up, awards, age group divisions and a post-race party. Participants can also register at Sportspectrum, 6970 Fern Ave., in Shreveport.

Lesniewski is in his late 20s with a wife and baby daughter. Earlier this year, Lesniewski fell 20 feet from a ladder and suffered a severe brain and spine injury.

“The spectacular part of this is that my Family Nurse Practitioner class of 2012, Leah’s classmates, have come together with donations to sponsor this race. I am extremely proud of this class,” said Dr. Connie Mott, Northwestern State’s Family Nurse Practitioner coordinator and assistant professor of graduate studies. “There is a Facebook page dedicated to him called Miracles for Josh. Our class kept our sponsorship from Leah, our student, until we got it all together. I posted it on Josh’s Facebook page as a surprise for her. She was extremely grateful. The students have really rallied around their classmate in support of her and her family’s needs.”

Anyone interested in making a donation to Miracles for Josh can contact Mott at ropolloc@nsula.edu. For more information, visit Facebook.com/miraclesforjosh or caringbridge.org/visit/miraclesforjosh.