Featured Events
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Races Benefiting GOTR
Geggie 5k
Saturday, April 28
8:00 a.m. at
Geggie Elementary in
Eureka, MO
For more information and a registration form, click here.
Triad 5k Run
Saturday, May 5
8:30 a.m. at Silver Creek Elementary in Troy, IL
Click here for more information and a registration form.
A portion of the proceeds from both of these races benefit Girls on the Run St. Louis, so we encourage you to run in support of GOTR!
Grand Opening
The Foot Corner, including
Saturday, April 28, 2012
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
17201 Chesterfield Airport Rd
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Enjoy a $20 Foot Rescue massage and GOTR St. Louis will receive 50% of the proceeds!
One-time Volunteer Opportunity
Race bag stuffing for GOTR participants
Thursday, April 19
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Help us put together the race goodie bags for the 2,600 girls who are participating in GOTR this season. Come for an hour or three! To volunteer, contact Ashley.
Social Runs
Join us for a run and some fun with others in the community! Three and 5 mile routes will be mapped and runners of all paces are welcome.
Wednesday, April 18
*NEW date*
Girls on the Run St. Louis
3130 Sutton Boulevard
Maplewood, MO 63143
Ph: 314-862-6266
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 28
Illinois Run
Meet outside the
Collinsville, Maryville, Troy YMCA
1 Town Center Drive
Maryville, IL 62026
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Email us with any questions or for more details.
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GOTR St. Louis
Turns 10!
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Girls on the Run St. Louis is celebrating 10 years helping more than 10,000 girls in third through eighth grade in the St. Louis metropolitan area improve their self-esteem through a unique character development program that combines life skills lessons with training for a 5k! That's impressive, considering the program began on a Clayton park bench in 2002 with just 20 girls.
We plan to spend the next three seasons (Spring 2012, Fall 2012 and Spring 2013):
- Celebrating the 10-year anniversary;
- Reconnecting with alumni of the program and their families;
- Raising awareness of the value of the Girls on the Run St. Louis program
Pencil in these events we are planning:
April 18, 2012: Cover of Town & Style magazine and story
May 12, 2012: Girls on the Run St. Louis 5k race in downtown St. Louis
Fall 2012: Health symposium
November 17, 2012: Girls on the Run St. Louis 5k race downtown St. Louis
May 2013: Pre-race grand finale event.
Keep an eye on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and this spot for upcoming announcements about our birthday party and how you can celebrate with us!
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Volunteer Spotlight
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At the heart of GOTR are amazing volunteers whose commitment and passion change the lives of thousands of girls throughout the St. Louis region each year. Since the Girls on the Run 5k is just a few weeks away, we'd like to recognize one of our wonderful and loyal volunteers who serves on the 5k Race Committee. Meet one of our superstar volunteers ... Mary Kay Denning. 
Mary Kay was first introduced to GOTR in 2008 when she ran the GOTR 5k with her niece. From that moment she was intrigued by the organization and wanted to get involved. Mary Kay has been the chair of the 5k food committee for the past seven races!She has helped secure food and beverage donations for the growing number of runners and volunteers. We appreciate Mary Kay's commitment to GOTR and she is a wonderful asset to our 5k Race Committee. Look for Mary Kay at the finish area this spring!
In Mary Kay's words ... When did you first get involved with GOTR? I started running the GOTR 5k with my little niece in 2008 and experienced the power of the race, not only for the girls but for everyone involved. From then on I was hooked on the program. How have you been involved with the 5k? I've been Food Committee Chair for the last seven races, watching it grow from 2,500 runners to this spring's expected 5,000 runners. It's absolutely one of the best events in St. Louis. What's your favorite part about the GOTR 5k? The morning is filled with excitement from early dawn volunteers setting up, to the arrival of 10,000 girls, coaches, parents, grandparents and friends, all the pre-race activities, the upbeat DJ's and warm up dancing, to the final race when I get to see all the runners, medals in hand, with the honor of completing a 5k. What would you like to tell every Girl on the Run? GOTR offers so much more than just running. You'll take away lessons and memories that will inspire you for a lifetime. If you were inspired by Mary Kay's story, we invite you to get involved and volunteer at the spring 5k on May 12. Click here to sign up to volunteer. If you are interested in being a part of the race committee for a future 5k, contact Ashley. |
Special Sponsor Offers
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20% OFF AT CHILL All School-Year Long! Wear your fall season purple or spring season sapphire GOTR program t-shirt to any of Chill's three locations and receive 20% off your favorite healthy treat all school-year long! Chill Wydown 7610 Wydown Blvd. Clayton, MO 63105 Chill Des Peres 11935 Manchester Rd. Des Peres, MO 63131 Chill Ladue 9793 Clayton Rd. Ladue, MO 63124 Sponsorship Opportunities: We are looking for companies to help us deliver our life changing program to thousands of girls in the St. Louis region. This means exposure to 5,000+ girls and their families, and 1,000 + adult volunteers for both fall and spring seasons, as well as visibility at our 5k race at the end of each season. If you're interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Katy Sommer. |
Support our Sponsors
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     Media Partner
Alum on the Run Sponsor
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Join Us, Follow Us, Share with Us
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If you have any questions or comments about this e-newsletter, please e-mail Katie. |
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Be Your Own Superhero
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| Girls on the Run 5k NEW Location and Start Time
 Saturday, May 12, 2012
Soldiers' Memorial Downtown St. Louis
Fun Run at 8:00 a.m.
5k Run at 8:30 a.m. Our program is growing, and so is our 5k! Plan to lace up your running shoes on the second Saturday in May and join us at our new race location, downtown St. Louis. Experience our community 5k run/walk with more than 2,600 girls from across the St. Louis region as they complete a 5k. It's much more than a race ... it's a celebration! Registration is now open!
Click here to register online or to download a paper registration form. Run with a team or become a 5k Superstar! NOTE: All girls who are participating in the program are already registered for the race. We Can't Run Without You!
Sign up today to volunteer at the spring 5k
We need more than 300 volunteers to ensure we have a fun and safe 5k. Please be a part of our celebration on Saturday, May 12 downtown! We need your help to make this event special for the girls. Sign up here to volunteer.
Our 5k is not like any other - it's a celebration of hard work, achieving your goals and setting young girls on the path to a healthy and happy life! The race is a great opportunity for students, organizations and local businesses to come together and serve the community. Sign up here to volunteer with pre-race t-shirt pick-up, cheer stations, Happy Hair, registration and much more.
Race theme - Be your own superhero! What does it mean to be your own superhero? How would you describe a superhero? What characteristics does she/he possess? Let your imagination run wild! Many girls will be sporting capes at the 5k. It will certainly be a sight to see.
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GOTR's Shoe Program Helps Level the Playing Field
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| | Providing girls in need with shoes is part of GOTR's mission
"I feel like I'm floating!" said a participant when she put on a new pair of shoes this season, courtesy of Girls on the Run, to replace an old pair of too-small shoes. In an effort to level the playing field for all of our Girls on the Run and Girls on Track participants, we try to ensure that each girl is wearing the same shirt and they all have running shoes on race day.
We are grateful to New Balance and Big River Running Co., for helping us provide more than 150 pairs of shoes to girls who couldn't afford them this season.
Wish List: Would you also like to help a girl make a run for the finish line? $40 will provide a pair of running shoes to a girl next season. Donate online here. 
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Rookie Team Spotlight
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| Successful First Season at Caseyville Elementary
Every Monday and Thursday afternoon for the past eight weeks there's a new sound coming from an elementary school in Caseyville, IL. Last fall, several thoughtful and dedicated teachers contacted Girls on the Run St. Louis about bringing the GOTR program to Caseyville Elementary School. They were the third school in the Collinsville Unit #10 District to offer Girls on the Run to their students. By all accounts, it has been an overwhelming success! They have nine enthusiastic girls on the team and several volunteer coaches. Amy Sheridan, Illinois Regional Coordinator for Girls on the Run St. Louis, recently visited the team and said it was one of the most fun visits she's ever had! It was a cold, rainy day so practice was inside, but that certainly didn't impact the mood. The girls were all very attentive, actively participated in the lesson and genuinely excited to be a Girl on the Run! Music was playing and the girls loved the challenge of completing their group running goal for the day. 
Here's what Sara Doherty and Sarah Palau, both head coaches of the team, had to say about their experience as first-time Girls on the Run St. Louis coaches: Why did you want to bring GOTR to the girls at your school? We both wanted to bring GOTR to our kids because we could tell from volunteering at the 5k that girls were inspired to achieve their goal. For myself, (Sara D.) it had a lot to do with my life-long struggle with weight and body image. What has been your favorite lesson so far? We both think that the "Positive Cord" lesson has been our favorite. It is a lesson that you can reflect on throughout the entire program. What has been the most rewarding part of the program for you personally? The best part so far is the difference in our girls! We have both heard the girls sharing their positive energy with other students within our school. Two of our girls wrote a poem about being yourself and staying positive. The poem was read to the entire student body and is now displayed by the front door. Our principal told us that our mission was complete.
Our program wouldn't exist without dedicated coaches and volunteers like this! Thank you so much for making a difference in the lives of the girls at Caseyville Elementary School.
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GOTR Teams are Planning Community Service Projects
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| Look for Girls on the Run teams out in your community in April
An important part of the Girls on the Run and Girls on Track curricula is the community service project. The girls are introduced to the concept of community, they learn the important role they each play in the community and they learn the importance of using their own unique gifts and talents to positively impact their communities.
The girls help design and implement the community service project during the Girls on the Run season. This spring, Girls on the Run will be making a HUGE impact in the St. Louis region with nearly 190 teams completing service projects!
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Interested in Starting a New GOTR Site?
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| | Deadline for New Site Applications is May 1
In order to manage the fantastic growth our organization has been experiencing, we are already planning for the fall 2012 season. Click here to learn more about starting a Girls on the Run or Girls on Track team at your school. A "Setting Up a Site" informational packet and a "Site Application" are available to download. All site applications must be turned in by May 1 to be considered as a potential site this fall.
While starting and "running" a Girls on the Run team is a time intensive volunteer endeavor, the rewards are immeasurable!
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Race Bib #1 Will Be Up For Grabs
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| | Online auction to wear #1 will benefit scholarship fund
Don't miss out on the opportunity to wear bib #1 at the Girls on the Run St. Louis 5k. We are auctioning this bib on Facebook. Bidding will open at noon on Thursday, May 3 and close at noon on Friday, May 4. Bidding will begin at $25 and all money raised will benefit our scholarship fund.
The lucky winner will be announced on Friday after the bidding closes and will have the option to be recognized race morning before the start of the 5k! Corporations and individuals are welcome to place bids and "gift" the #1 bib to a girl in the program.
Be sure to "like" us on Facebook today!
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5k Superstars
| | | Add a little shine to your race in May - become a 5k Superstar!
Whether you are running the 5k as a family member, practice partner or community participant, you can help spread the word and raise money for scholarships benefitting Girls on the Run St. Louis.
Each 5k Superstar receives a personal fundraising page but has no fundraising minimum. Runners that raise $100 or more will receive a Girls on the Run technical running shirt. All funds raised benefit the Girls on the Run St. Louis scholarship fund.
Help us ensure all girls can participate in Girls on the Run St. Louis. We distributed over $290,000 in scholarships in 2011. With your help, we will be able to provide even more in 2012.
Click here to register to be a 5k Superstar. Contact our office for more information.
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Horizon Coach of the Year Awards
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| | Nominate your fantastic GOTR coach!
Our amazing volunteer coaches are one of the biggest reasons why Girls on the Run is so much fun! Spring program participants can nominate their coaches for the 2012 Coach of the Year Award sponsored by Horizon.
Girls can expres s why they believe their coaches deserve to win through writing, coloring, drawing, painting ... you name it! As an FYI, past winners have more illustrative components than text. Click here for the nomination form. Entries must be postmarked by June 15.
Completed entries should be mailed to Horizon Fitness, c/o GOTR Coach of the Year, 1600 Landmark Drive, Cottage Grove, WI 53527. Send a copy to the Girls on the Run St. Louis office, too. We'd LOVE to see your entry!
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GOTR St. Louis Announces First Media Partnership
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| | FOX Sports Midwest Partners with Girls on the Run St. Louis, Will Raise Awareness of Organization
Girls on the Run St. Louis announced a new media partnership with FOX Sports Midwest today. The partnership will lead to an increase in media coverage for the non-profit, after-school program and help to support its mission to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experienced-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
FOX Sports Midwest has a long history of partnering with St. Louis sports teams and organizations that support the community. Their support of Girls on the Run St. Louis will help to increase awareness of the impact the program has had in St. Louis during the last 10 years as well as cover the exciting 5k races the organization holds each spring and fall.
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GOTR St. Louis Executive Director Courtney Berg with on-air announcer Pat Parris and the FOX Sports Midwest Girls
Kayla and Aimee
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"We are extremely excited to have FOX Sports Midwest as a media partner, especially since this is such a milestone year for us," said GOTR St. Louis Executive Director Courtney Berg. "We are celebrating our 10th anniversary and more than 10,000 girls served. This partnership is a great opportunity to show the community how we're helping to develop the female leaders of tomorrow by empowering young girls today to believe in themselves and make healthy life choices."
FOX Sports Midwest is proud to support Girls on the Run St. Louis and participate in their race this spring. "Girls on the Run St. Louis is fantastic. Not only are they teaching girls the benefits of physical activity, their program is empowering young girls and preparing them for a lifetime of healthy living," said David Pokorny, Marketing Director for Fox Sports Midwest. "Celebrating the commitment of the girls and sharing the images of them crossing the finish line on May 12 is just the first of many ways we'll be able to help spread the word in the community about the work they're doing."
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