Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run// www.GirlsOnTheRun.org

 I am a huge running fan.  I have been a runner basically since I was old enough to run.  I may not have competed until I was in middle school, but I'm sure my parents would vouch for the fact that I have always been an active person.  I would even run from my dad when I would get in trouble in my younger years.  It would make him even more mad about the situation, but I have always found running as a way to vent.  I don't think anything is greater than the feeling you get after a long run--I encourage you to try it sometime.

Girls on the Run is an awesome organization that I back 100%.  Their whole mission is to inspire girls and give them self-confidence through a curriculum that uses running and fitness.  The curriculum allows young girls to set goals and achieve them, thus giving them the self-confidence they aren't getting in the outside world.

Girls On the Run// www.GirlsOnTheRun.org

After a morning run in 1993, Molly Barker, the founder of Girls on the Run, got the idea to start this organization. She had spent years struggling with her self-worth.  Her goal was to help young girls realize that their potential can reach beyond the unhealthy messages that society sends them.  Girls see movie stars and strive to be super thin and flawless like these women--but they forget that these women are the exception to the rule and not the only standard for beauty.

In 1996, in Raleigh, North Carolina, Barker piloted the curriculum she came up with for a class of 13 girls.  These girls told other girls about it, and they told others about the organization as well.  The positive reviews surrounding the organization were becoming endless.  In 2000, Girls on the Run became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and it can be found in over 200 cities in the United States and Canada.

The organization has two programs that kids can be involved in.  They have a 3rd-5th grade program and a 6th-8th grade program.  The 3rd-5th grade program is an after-school program for girls.  The 6th-8th grade program is specially focused on middle school students and the issues they face at that age.  The program usually lasts 10-12 weeks and allows girls to gain friendships and be inspired by one another.

There are several ways to get involved--One can start a council in their city, you can volunteer, you can participate in 5K's sponsored by organization, you can be a SoleMate and run marathons with proceeds going to Girls on the Run, and you can donate monetarily.  It's a great cause.

Check out Girls on the Run! Find a location near you