How Girls on the Run has helped these girls "Gang Up for Good"

Girls on the Run particpants were asked this spring to submit essay entries with the topic of how Girls on the Run and the Mean Stinks campaign has helped them "Gand Up For Good" and put an end to girl to girl bullying.  We received these three entries, one of which will be selected and awarded a cruiser bike at Saturday's GOTR Community 5k & Healthy Living Expo.  The bike was graciously donated by Jeff Davis of Sturtos of Hailey!  Thanks to Jeff for helping us honor the great work these girls have done this season and the coaches that have led them there!  Check out these great essays:

3rd grader at Hailey Elementary:

3rd grader at Hailey Elementary:

4rd grader at Hailey Elementary:

New, more scenic course, for the 10th annual 5k!

We've changed the Community 5k course!  It'll start and end in the same location, Heagle Park, but take racers on a combination of dirt trail, board walk and neighborhood streets.  Trial and board walk will take you by the "Heart Tree just upon entering the near by Draper Preserve and continue across the beautiful Bow Bridge.  After winding through the board walk in the preserve, racers will exit LyThanks to the Land Trust for allowing us to utilize the Draper Preserve in our 5k course.ons park by way of the chip trail along the river, cross the Croy street bridge and return to the east side of the river along a dirt and river rock laden path.  The course will continue through to the Draper Preserve again, exiting in the same entrence in which they came.  The course will continue up Cedar towards Broadford road, taking this back entrance all the way to the far side of the Della View neighborhood and where the horses in their corrals will greet you.  The last mile of the course will wind through the outside of the neighborhood and back to the park via Snowfly, Wolftone and back onto War Eagle.  A smiggen short of a 3.1 (by .05) we'll make you do a little jig at the end to make up for it!

Join us on Idaho Gives day May 2!

The Idaho Non-profit Center is hosting a single day of online giving for all Idaho Non-profits in order to spotlight when they do for the State of Idaho called Idaho Gives, to be held on Thursday, May 2, 2013.

Girls on the Run is participating in three different ways, and your help is crucial to our success:

The Online Campaign:

All donations will occur ONLINE on May 2, and will qualify Girls on the Run for additional cash prizes and matching funds.   You can help us to reach our goal by visiting this link:

 http://www.razoo.com/story/Girls-On-The-Run-Of-The-Wood-River-Valley  

You can donate on May 2 or set up the donation now and set to have it occur on Idaho Gives day.  Every gift, no matter the size, will make a difference!  

Idaho Gives in the Ketchum Town Square:

With 17 other Wood River Non-profits, Girls on the Run will be present in the Ketchum Town Square from Noon to 2PM on Thursday May 2. We'll give away a Garmin GPS watch every 30 minutes, so be sure to stop by for a chance to win!   

Other participants will have information and activities like photo ops with Dolly the Sheep from the Trailing of the Sheep Festival, adoptable dogs and cats from the Animal Shelter, and a horse from Swiftsure Ranch's equine program.   Other contests, things to try, and giveaways promise to make this a fun part of your day.

 

Idaho Gives at the Ketchum/Sun Valley Visitors Center:  

Nearly 40 Wood River Non-profits will be collaborating to host a live event at the Ketchum/Sun Valley Visitors Center from 8AM to 5PM on Thursday, May 2 and Girls on the Run is among them.

Representatives of the organizations will be on hand with computers and laptops at the Visitor's Center to help make your online donation fun and easy. You can select charities near and dear to your heart to donate to, and help them to achieve matching funds and cash prizes from the Idaho Non-profit Center and its generous sponsors, St. Luke's Health Systems and Idaho Credit Union.

Donor stickers will entitle donors to a free tall drink at Starbucks or a 2-for-1 deal on drinks at the Cornerstone.

We hope we can inspire people to come out and find out what we do, have some fun, and encourage them to become first time donors. This is also an opportunity to help us qualify for matching funds and cash prizes for those who wish to give in addition to their regular yearly contribution.

Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle and Join Our "Corporate Team Challenge"

What a great way to kick off the spring season by getting outdoors with your friends, family and community.  We are bringing back for the second year the Corporate Team Challange!  You can either join us as a "Runner" sponsor which will include a corporate team entry, or simply register your team of 5 for a cost of $400.  In a addition to creating a fun & inspiring athletic and give back opportunity for your staff, and exclusive goodies like a visit to the Happy Hair station where you can get dolled up for a fun time on the course, the members of the team with the most spirit will each win a Garmin GPS watch!  Prizes will also be awarded to the best overall combined time for a team, and the most creative finish line crossing!  So check with your workplace, or gather a team of your own, and come support Girls on the Run.  There are over 70 girls in the spring program that will be completing the race as the culmination to their season.  Come show them that we believe in them!   Register your team online  or call 788-7863.     

  

Hey Coach - Let's Hold Hands and Run!

Coaches for Girls on the Run Get Much More Than They Expected!
Volunteers needed for Spring season to begin April 1

Girls on the Run of the Wood River Valley (GOTR) is actively looking for volunteers to be mentors of this life changing program for girls grades 3^rd through 8^th.  The spring season will begin April 1, with a new coach training scheduled for Saturday March 15th.   Interested individuals should contact Mary Fauth at mary@girlsontherunwrv.org or 788-7863. 

Volunteers of all ages and athletic abilities are invited to come make a difference! They will be amazed and what they can do and the rewards you will receive! They will help girls uncover their potential and challenge themselves to achieve their goals. After-school programs meet twice a week for ten weeks while training to complete a 5k event. Coaches receive training to facilitate the self-esteem building curriculum and become life-changing mentors helping girls experience self-discovery, perseverance and growth. They don't need to be a runner, but only have a desire to make a difference and knowledge of the importance of physical activity.

The following testimonies are from past coaches about their experiences with GOTR:

Hailey Elementary coach Lea Floccini
“When I signed up as a coach I did so with reservation. I'm not a runner nor a racer, but I wanted to encourage girls to became empowered. It was an honor to inspire them to move out of their personal boxes and push themselves to their own excellence; to encourage them to run or even walk a bit farther than they thought they could; to listen to them share their wisdom and watch them support each other; and, to be there holding their hands as we crossed the finish line of their 5k race.

The "you can do it" spirit of Girls on the Run and it's motto of just keep moving forward seeped into my bones and inspired me to participate in a 1/2 marathon (way out of my personal box) with my own daughter. My experience as a coach was a life-changing gift for me and a reminder that one person can and indeed does make a difference."

Hailey Elementary coach Lindsay Zondag

“My favorite day was the practice 5k.  There were two little girls who were really dragging behind everyone and just did not want to participate.  I prodded them along and as we turned the corner to the finish line, we saw the other girls had formed an arch with their hands.  As we walked a little closed, we could hear the team chanting our names.  Their eyes widened and they asked me "is that for US!?"  Those two sprinted the rest of the way and ran under their teammates' hands to the finish line.  That was a great demonstration of teamwork and friendship, things we strive to teach our Girls on the Run.”

Hailey Elementary coach L’Anne Gilman

“First of all, I am not a runner! I always thought that to get involved as a coach for GOTR you had to “be a runner” However, after learning that this was not the case, I decided to volunteer as a coach for Fall 2010. Being involved as a coach for GOTR was truly one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. READ MORE

Woodside Elementary Coach Kathy Oliver

"Although I am a woman, now unbelievably to me---approaching 60(!) I am a busy, active teacher who, after attending a talk by Kristin Armstrong in our area felt the "call" to serve the very needy (but so wonderful) students at our school. Recently I have had to face some unexpected losses in my life and being able to fill my cup by GIVING in this very small way these past two weeks in GOTR has brought me incredible JOY, almost beyond words. READ MORE

Woodside Elementary Coach Alex Taylor

Being a coach for Girls on the Run was so much more than I ever thought it would be. My first thought was that I would be able to assist the girls in increasing/maintaining a good physical regimen that would make them feel good or better about themselves, feel a part of a committed group and have fun all at the same time. For myself, I thought GOTR was an opportunity to give some of my time back to the youth in our community, learn about what girls that age are up to and maybe get in better physical shape. What it really was... READ MORE

Carey School Coach Amber Larna

"Last year was my first time coaching GOTR. There was a girl that struggled with the running part and yet she worked sooo hard. Every session she was the one struggling. During the 5k she still struggled. As I approached her in the race, I patted her on the back, ran with her for a bit, and encouraged her. She told me how excited she was. Her smile extended from ear to ear. At that moment I knew it was okay to pass. As I did I started crying… finishing the whole 5k with tears in my eyes. It is so hard for me to put into words the feelings I went through that day, but being a GOTR coach is probably one of the MOST rewarding things I have done. It is an amazing program, the things it does not only for the young girls but for their coaches.”

GOTR is an after-school program that uses the power of running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.  Through interactive activities such as running, playing games, and discussing important issues, participants learn how to celebrate being girls.  The program focuses on building self-esteem and improving emotional and physical health.  During the 10-week program, girls are empowered with a greater self-awareness, a sense of achievement and a foundation in team building to help them become strong, contented and self-confident young women.  For more information visit www.girlsontherunwrv.org.