The nonprofit Girls on the Run International (GOTR) teaches life skills to third through eighth grade girls by using running to inspire, motivate and encourage lifelong health, fitness and confidence. Small teams of girls meet twice a week for dynamic, interactive lessons taught by certified coaches, which focus on understanding one’s self, valuing relationships and teamwork, and understanding how we as individuals connect with and shape the world at large. Each team also creates and executes a local community service project. At each season’s conclusion, the girls and their running buddies complete a 5k running event. With the help of more than 55,000 volunteers, the Girls on the Run program is now serving more than 168,000 girls in 225-plus cities across North America each year, including Greater Milwaukee.
Based in an office in at Bayshore Town Center (5800 N. Bayshore Drive, Ste. A226, Glendale), Girls on the Run of Greater Milwaukee completed one of its two annual 5k runs in June, hosting more than 1,200 participants, 120 GOTR coaches and 135 volunteers. GOTR of Greater Milwaukee also plans to provide more than 300 pairs of shoes to girls who need them in 2015 and is setting up more than 25 scholarship sites for girls whose families do not have the means to pay for this program (registration fee is based on income). Three years ago, GOTR Greater Milwaukee was serving fewer than 200 girls. This year, the organization is set to serve more than 1,000 girls.
“It truly takes a village to help us keep this organization moving forward and we continue to strive for more community partnerships so that we can provide this program to more and more girls in the Greater Milwaukee area,” says GOTR of Greater Milwaukee Executive Director Tina Jones. “With all of our amazing partnerships, we are still just keeping our head above water and we need more help. We are always looking for time, talent or donations.”
To learn more about GOTR of Greater Milwaukee, volunteering, donating or signing up to be part of the program, call 414-367-8171 or visit gotr-milwaukee.org.
