Last year, I had the privilege of helping out at a practice 5K race for a spunky little group of girls from Chicago during their Spring season of Girls on the Run. As a young woman and avid runner, I felt so easily connected to the organization and its extremely important mission to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident through running. Now, as a member of the GOTRC Associate Board, I feel even more connected and dedicated to that mission and want to be sure every girl feels she has supporters “in her corner.”
Thanks to the work of our 2,700 volunteer coaches and many supporters, more than 8,000 Chicagoland girls will participate in Girls on the Run's experience-based curriculum this season that creatively integrates running. And later this spring, they'll take part in one of three 5Ks to celebrate how far they've come. Each girl is joined by a “running buddy” to cheer them on, support them, and make sure they reach that finish line. Registration for each running buddy is $35 to help aid race costs, but this can oftentimes be a difficult cost for families with girls in the program. Having a supportive adult running beside each girl to cheer her can create enormous impact, and we feel that every girl in the program should be given that opportunity.
That is why the Associate Board is launching the ambitious "In Her Corner" campaign this season to raise $10,000 and ensure that every girl in the program has the support she needs and deserves. Your contribution of any size will make a major milestone – crossing the finish line – that much sweeter for a Chicago girl!
