PORTLAND – A race to benefit Maine-based youth programs and offering a minimum of $50,000 in cash and prizes will get its start next August.

Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the of the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984, and Peoples Heritage Bank are expecting to stage the state’s biggest road race on Saturday, Aug. 1.

The organizers of the race, which will start at Crescent Beach and end at Portland Head Light, expect to attract 3,000 runners for the inaugural “Peoples Beach to Beacon 10K.”

Portland-based Peoples Heritage Bank has made a five-year sponsorship commitment to the “Shine the Light for Kids” event, which will benefit a different program each year. The 1998 race will benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Maine.

The prizes will be offered in four divisions: Open, Masters, Wheelchair, and Maine-only. The entry fee is $18.

Related events, such as a children’s race, are in the planning stage, according to Benoit Samuelson.

For entry forms and more information, call 1-888-480-6940 or write Peoples Heritage Bank, c/o Marketing Dept., P.O. Box 9540, Portland, ME 04112-9540.

Benoit Samuelson, born and raised in Cape Elizabeth, said in a press release, “I’ve always wanted to create a race that brings runners and friends to the scenic Maine coast during the summer so they can share the same rugged beauty and rich history that plays such an important role in my life. Locals and visitors alike will enjoy themselves immensely.”