Posts from GOTR-DC

Spring registration opens for GOTR-DC on Monday, Feb. 11th.  Take a look at our locations map to see where we have sites this season.  You can contact the site liaison for more information.

GOTR-DC teams up with the National Marathon and Monumental Mile to get more kids running and raising money for GOTR-DC! Register for the run here:http://www.nationalmarathon.com/Kids_RunDC.htm.

GOTR-DC is currently recruiting coaches for the Spring season! Please visit http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/1242345634559254071, and consider coaching for one of our incredible teams this Spring.

Get Fit And Help Your School Win A Cash Prize —All At The Same Time!

Sunday, March 6th at 8:30 a.m. come and run or walk for the DC school of your choice.  To learn more, click here:  VAMOS school and rec center flier

GOTR-DC is proud to be a partner of the DC public schools.  Here is a message from the Manager, Daniela Grigioni, External Relations for Afterschool Programs, Office of Out-of-School Time:

Congratulations to Girls On The Run (GOTR) for an incredible end-of-the-semester event at American University!

On Sunday, December 12^th, in freezing, rainy weather,  over 1,100 people registered to run in the final race of the program.  Five hundred spectators (among them yours truly!) and 150 volunteers came out to cheer teams of girl runners representing many DC public schools, public charter schools, private and non-public schools that GOTR serves.  Among the participants there were 558 girls and 138 coaches who ran in the freezing rain; Paige Lester from National Cathedral School snatched first place.  Paige won, but the spirit of GOTR program is non-competitive and every girl’s accomplishment is celebrated regardless of how long she takes to finish the race.  This program reaches so far beyond the girls who are directly involved!

GOTR has been an official afterschool service provider with OST for the past three years.  They are currently in 19 public schools with a mission to educate and prepare girls for a life-time of self respect and healthy living.  Each team is comprised of 8 to 15 girls, ages 8 to 10 (3^rd to 5^th grade) for Girls On The Run, and 11 to 13 (6^th to 8^th grade) for Girls On Track.  With 18 additional prospective schools, Elizabeth Hammond-Chambers and Kristen Komlosy, respectively GOTR Executive Director and Program Director, have approached OST to intentionally expand their outreach to schools in Ward 7, 8 and 1, possibly adding 20 new teams to their roster.

This program unifies girls across the public and non public school systems, and it is a great example of how DC institutions of higher education such as American University get involved in serving youth and their afterschool time needs.  I want to thank American University through Bridget Bowers for their generosity in offering  the use of the University’s ground for the race, for changing plans in mid-stream to accommodate everyone inside at the last moment when the weather turned impossible, and most of all for allowing the cheerful “invasion” brought on by so many happy runners and spectators proudly cheering on their girls, their team and everyone in the race.

I am looking forward to represent OST again in the spring at the next GOTR event.  I won’t run but I will cheer as loudly as possible for “our” girls, all of them, hopefully in a sunny and warm afternoon!  We are very fortunate to have Girls On The Run as partner in our afterschool.

A special thanks to all of our photographers, Emily Weiss, Steve Laico, and Matthew Lyons.  You truly captured the spirit of the GOTR-DC New Balance 5k race.

 Please go to  http://www.digiproofs.com/EmilyWeiss/  And click on GOTR 12-10.  Also, Emily Weiss has a slideshow on her blog : http://www.emilyweissphotography.com/blog/2010/12/gotr-2010-slideshow-and-prints/

Girls on the Run DC is recruiting SoleMates to run in the Suntrust National Marathon or Half Marathon this March 26, 2011. 

An additional benefit for signing up to participate in SoleMates for GOTR DC is that we’ll cover your registration fee for the 2011 National Marathon or Half Marathon! Learn more by clicking here!

A special thanks to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation, one of GOTR-DC’s newest funders.  We are excited to partner with the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and accept a donation from them! It will support our efforts as we grow Girls on the Run-DC in the Capitol Hill area.

Watkins GOTR Participant, Paige Phillips, with GOTR Program Director, Kristen Komlosy

“I Am Thankful for Girls on the Run Because . . .”

• “It makes you strong in your muscles and confident in your heart. ~ Juliette, WIS
• I get to learn about being safe and healthy. I also can accept feedback on how to be a better person.” ~ Zordyn, DC Bilingual
• I am grateful for GOTR because it is a way for girls to run like athletes. Some people think girls can’t do sports.” ~ Unknown, Murch
• It gives me a good example and helps me be healthy because before I was not very active.” ~ Fleur, WIS
• They help me in things that I am suppose to do to be healthy.” ~ Juliana, DC Bilingual

This Thanksgiving, the board and staff of Girls on the Run – DC would like to express our deepest gratitude for your generosity that has enabled us to provide 61% of our girls with scholarships to participate in our life-changing program.  Please consider contributing financially to our life-changing work. Your donation makes a meaningful, visible difference in the lives of girls here in our community. Just think, by giving:

• $50 buys a pair of shoes for 1 girl
• $165 provides a program scholarship for 1 girl
• $1500 provides a program scholarship for 1 team

To make a donation, please click here . . . or contact us at 202-258-7876 or visit our web site – www.gotrdc.org.

GOTR-DC began with one team of 15 girls in Northwest DC in 2006, has now grown to 50 teams in all eight wards of DC, serving more than 550 girls. We also have over 150 coaches and volunteers supporting our teams.  With your continued partnership in 2011, we plan to expand to 20 new sites, offer more program scholarships and continue to recruit and retain excellent coaches and volunteers.

We also hope you will join us on December 12th for our 5K Race which raises money for GOTR-DC scholarships. Participate in the race, be a buddy runner, or volunteer. Visit:www.gotrdc.org to learn more.

We thank you for your past and future support and generosity, and look forward to all we can accomplish together in 2011.

If your employer participates in a giving campaign, you can support Girls on the Run – DC by writing in our Tax ID# 74-3218001.