1) How have you been involved with Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake?
My first involvement with Girls on the Run happened when I was living with a family that had two young girls. The youngest had joined GOTR at school and I remember thinking it was such a beautiful program. I was able to be her Buddy during her 5K and we had the best time! The event was so cheerful and an amazing celebration of what the girls had accomplished.
2) What drew you to the program to get involved?
It had been a while since participating in the GOTR 5K, but as I was contemplating who might be a great non-profit partner for The Fount's two-year anniversary celebration, It was a no-brainer to work with GOTRGC to support the Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake's 20th Anniversary. We try to find partners that support women & girls in the area and GOTR Greater Chesapeake made for the perfect pair! It was amazing to gather women and share the GOTR mission with them. I also learned about so many women in my community that had been impacted by GOTR as a participant, coach, or parent!
3) You're building a community for women at Fount. What are some ways you're doing that?
At The Fount we believe in 'the village', and for us, building community is about creating an infrastructure of support around women across all seasons of life. Women in our membership range from their 20s to 70s and represent many different paths (in life and in career, etc.). Our events are about connecting with women as their whole selves, so some may be social gatherings for intentional and fun connection, but we also host space to learn something new, move our bodies, and grow our thinking and perspective. By gathering women in these spaces and across different seasons, we can create mentorship, peer-to-peer connection, friendship, and simply more awareness of resources. And, the best part, 90% of it is IRL (in real life <3)
4) What are some fun facts about you?
I am the oldest of three, and even though I never was a coach for GOTR, I do have a sister 10 years younger than I that I used to coach in Soccer and help in Girl Scouts. I grew up volunteering at week-long overnight camps for girls 10-12 and it filled my heart so much. The power of creating safe spaces for young girls can impact their lives in such big ways, so thank you GOTR! I also have three little girls of my own (7, 5, and 3) who hopefully can participate in the GOTR program!