Ivonne, my good friend and when I can keep up, running buddy, gives the perfect description of the charity I’m highlighting this week: Girls on the Run.
“I love this because it combines the sport I love, running, with the idea that women are strong, independent, self-confident and capable people...starting as early as the preteen years. What a wonderful and delightful focus for an organization to have...to use sport and physical activity, teamwork and camaraderie, and all the good that comes with it to help build up the confidence in young preteen girls. Complete awesomeness!”
Like many other of the organizations I have highlighted in the past two months, Girls on the Run began because of one person’s idea. In response to the horrible statistics showing the correlation between body dissatisfaction and negative body image with depression and suicide among young girls, Molly Barker started what has now become an incredible movement. In 1996, the pilot program began in North Carolina with this mission, “Educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living” (http://www.girlsontherun.org/). Girls on the Run combines a curriculum that addresses young girls’ (3rd-8th grade) social and emotional well-being, with running, to enhance positive behaviors and choices in hopes to minimize at-risk behaviors common among female adolescents. Girls on the Run is now in over 170 cities across the U.S.A. and Canada.
The following is a description of Ivonne’s personal experience with Girls on the Run:
“I came across this organization when I was asked to be a running buddy at a local 5k in town. I was assigned to run along with one of the young girls that had been through the program. It was an honor to be a part of her reaching her goal and feeling strong and accomplished. I felt like this organization truly struck a chord within in me. We have the good fortune of feeling the amazing effects of running and camaraderie everyday with the runners we know. So, sharing this same excitement with a young girl was quite the experience. I ran alongside this gal telling her how amazing she was, how she could do it, don't give up, and gave her a big hug and high five at the end. When her family walked up at the end and gave her a big, hug supportive hug for reaching her goal, I was in tears! It was so touching.”
To find out more information about Girls on the Run, check out the following websites:
International: http://www.girlsontherun.org/
How can we get involved?:
Check out the “Get Involved” tab on the website as there are multiple ways to volunteer and help out. I listed a few:
· Coach-time requirement… on the heavy side but I bet it is totally worth it!
· Serve as Site Liaison: good at administrative stuff?
· Register your daughter
· Sign up to be a Running Buddy-if you don’t have the time to coach, this is a good option
· Become a SoleMate: good at fundraising?
· Join a Committee: more administrative, but necessary stuff to keep the program running
· Various One-Time Volunteer Opportunities
· Be an Advocate-Ivonne is an AWESOME advocate for this organization! (Girls on the Run is on FB)
“Your capacity to love is your capacity to experience the I of another.”
~Walter Starcke
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