Featured Events
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Girls on the Run Night at the Gateway Grizzlies
Deadline to Buy Tickets Tomorrow
Join us for a fun night at GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies with Girls on the Run.
Friday, August 24
7:05 p.m.
Field box reserved seats are only $10. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Girls on the Run St. Louis scholarship fund.
Purchase tickets here by end of day tomorrow (Aug. 9)! Click on the Specialty Group button. The password is girlsrun.
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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. Meet one of our superstar volunteer coaches ...  Sara has been a long-time coach at Flynn Park Elementary in University City - without having a kiddo in the program or teaching at the school! She has been giving her time as a coach since 2009. Sara relocated to St. Louis for work in October 2008. She was looking for a way to get involved with the community and a friend from Chicago recommended she see if St. Louis had Girls on the Run. She ran the 5K that November amidst the sea of colored ponytails and was amazed at the strength and breadth of the program. She signed up right away to coach starting in Spring 2009. She was placed at Flynn Park and the rest is history. Here's what else Sara had to say in her own words ... What is the most rewarding thing about Girls on the Run? On a personal level, it's given me the opportunity to meet some amazing women in St. Louis that I'm honored to now call friends. These women are at all different phases in their lives, but it doesn't matter because we share the bond of Girls on the Run. Gaining a lot of running friends didn't hurt either! The most rewarding thing I've witnessed as a coach has to be mentoring. Unlike a lot of the coaches, I work a full-time job and am not a teacher or parent with any affiliation to the school. Because of that, the girls are able to look up to me as a (much) older sister, and will come to me for advice or just to share their accomplishments and disappointments of the day. Some of the end-of-season thank you cards I've received have brought me to tears. Why would you recommend a girl participate in Girls on the Run? I recommend girls participate in GOTR because, at the end of the day, its fun and everyone is a rockstar at GOTR. Not every girl can be great at soccer or music or dance, but every girl has the chance to succeed at GOTR. Attending practices and being involved in the lessons will boost her self-confidence, let her voice be heard and keep her healthy and active! What are your hopes for the future of Girls on the Run at your school? At Flynn Park I would like to see even more parent and teacher involvement in the program. We have a solid base of coaches, but most of us are not affiliated at Flynn and unfortunately, will one day have to move on. If we could get more parents and teachers to volunteer with us, it will help to ensure the success and longevity of the Flynn Park program. Read more here. |
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 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 upcoming events:
September 20, 2012: Lunafest, a film festival by, for and about women
Fall 2012: Health symposium
November 17, 2012: Girls on the Run St. Louis 5k race downtown St. Louis
Spring 2013: 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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Special Sponsor Offers
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20% OFF AT CHILL All School-Year Long! Let any Chill Team Member know you are part of Girls on the Run St. Louis and not only will you receive 20% off your frozen treat all season long - you'll also receive a special "Chill Girls" punch card! Fill up your special "Chill Girl" punchcard 5 times and chill for FREE on your next visit! Pick up your punch card at any Chill location. ALL LOCATIONS: 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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Local Sponsors     Media Partner
Food Truck Partners 
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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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GOTR St. Louis Welcomes New Sites
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| Twenty new sites will have teams this fall
We'd like to welcome 20 new sites to the Girls on the Run St. Louis family. These new schools bring the total number of Girls on the Run sites to more than 215 in the St. Louis region. Nearly 120 of these schools will be participating in the fall Girls on the Run season, which represents a 21% increase over the number of sites participating last fall.  The following sites will have Girls on the Run (typically 3-5 grades) or Girls on Track (typically 6-8 grades) teams for the first time this fall. - Al-Salam Day School (Independent - Ballwin)
- Belle Valley (Belle Valley - Belleville, IL)
- Boone Elementary (Lincoln County R-III - Troy, MO)
- Clearview Elementary (Washington, MO)
- Cross Keys Middle (Ferguson-Florissant)
- East Alton Middle (East Alton, IL)
- Hancock Elementary (Hancock Place - Lemay, MO)
- Hanna Woods Elementary (Parkway)
- Henry Raab Elementary (Belleville, IL)
- Holman Elementary (Ferguson-Florissant)
- Jefferson Elementary (Belleville, IL)
- Keysor Elementary (Kirkwood)
- McNair Elementary (Hazelwood)
- Rogers Elementary (Mehlville)
- Shenandoah Valley Elementary (Parkway)
- SLLIS - The French School (Independent - Downtown St. Louis)
- St. John the Baptist (Smithton, IL)
- Truman Middle (Lindbergh)
- Walker Elementary (Hazelwood)
- Walnut Grove Elementary (Ferguson-Florissant)
We are so excited that even more girls in the St. Louis region will get to experience the power of the Girls on the Run program. For information on starting a team at your school, click here. We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2013 season. Wish List:
Help us support our growth by donating today or introducing us to potential sponsors. We need your help to allow us to continue expanding our reach. Contact Katy Sommer for more information. |
Girls: Sign-up for the Fall 2012 Season
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| | Register for Girls on the Run or Girls on Track online
Registration for the fall Girls on the Run and Girls on Track season will open on Monday, August 20, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. and closes on Friday, August 31, 2012 at midnight. A parent/guardian must complete an online registration form for each girl. Click here for more information about the registration process, a list of participating sites this fall and their practice days and times and a registration checklist so you'll have all of the necessary information available when you go to sign up. Registration is NOT first-come, first-served. We will have a late registration week, Sept. 4 - 7, but ONLY for schools who still have room on their teams. To ensure your daughter has a chance to participate, you must register her between Aug. 20 - 31. No one can be added to a team after Sept. 7 OR if a team is full, registration will not reopen for that school after August 31.
The Girls on the Run program is for elementary school-aged girls, typically in 3-5 grade. Our Girls on the Track program is for middle school-aged girls, typically 6-8 grades.
The 10-week season will begin the week of September 10, 2012 and runs through mid-November. Participants meet twice a week, usually after school, for approximately 75-90 minutes each practice. The season culminates with a 5k event on November 17 where all Girls on the Run participants throughout the St. Louis region come together to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments. Sign up to join the movement starting August 20! |
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Fall Coaches are Ready to Run
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| Coaches training sessions a success
Girls on the Run St. Louis held two new coaches training sessions and trained more than 200 new GOTR & GOT coaches at MICDS. At training new coaches learned the ropes of Girls on the Run and participated in a few sample lessons during a half-day training. It was encouraging to see so many new coaches who are very eager to get involved and coach for the first time.
Returning coaches had an option to participate in an online training option or attend an in-person training and best practice sharing session. The in-person training and best practice session was a great opportunity for returning coaches to share ideas about motivating and encouraging girls throughout the season and share fun cheers!
We want to extend our appreciation to all of our coaches, who take on this amazing program as volunteers and truly make a difference in the lives of young girls across the St. Louis region.  |
Fall GOTR Merchandise Available to Order
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| Orders are due Sept. 21
Show your Girls on the Run spirit with GOTR-logoed merchandise! New colors this fall include light pink and red hooded sweatshirts and a sky blue (light turquoise) Soft Style tee. In addition, we have two fun new items available this season:
- 10th Anniversary Logo Black Fleece Jacket
- GOTR Car Decals/Stickers
To place your order, download and fill out the order form found on our website's Shop page. All forms should be dropped off or mailed to Big River Running West County (14047 Manchester Rd., St. Louis, MO 63011) no later than September 21.
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Alum Spotlight
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| | One of the first Girls on the Run interns at the office
Alum on the Run is a unique group that allows previous Girls on the Run St. Louis program participants to continue living the GOTR mission and core values through a healthy lifestyle with a positive self-image, while giving back to their community. 
If you have visited the GOTR-STL office recently, you may have met our summer intern, Mary Carlson. Mary, our newest Alum on the Run, participated in the program at St. Gabriel the Archangel school in 2002. This summer Mary has helped us with a variety of projects including planning our coach appreciation event, coordinating our supplies for the upcoming season and assisting with coaches training. As she prepares for her junior year at Marquette University this fall Mary shared some of her memories from her time as a Girl on the Run:
What made you want to volunteer at GOTR this summer?
I have always believed in the values GOTR instills within young women. Being able to contribute to this mission, even for a short while, has been an honor. I hope to continue being active in this spectacular organization in the future!
What is one thing that you have taken away from your time in the GOTR program that still helps you now?
I think GOTR taught me to rise above peer pressure. As I've grown and matured, the values of GOTR have helped me remain a strong, confident and genuine human being.
Why would you recommend that a girl participate in GOTR?
There's something special about Girls on the Run that no other sport or activity will offer - total acceptance and encouragement. It doesn't matter where you live, whether you have the most stylish clothes, or how fast you can run. Being the most authentic version of yourself is what makes you a true superstar!
What was your favorite thing about Girls on the Run?
In my days as a Girl on the Run, we didn't have a designated race for the organization. Instead, we ran the Mike Duffy Turkey Trot. I felt so accomplished and proud of myself for running a 5k. To top it off, I got to run with ALL of my new friends, which helped me keep going. It was really inspiring to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. When I finished the race the 1-mile fun run was about to start. I had lots of energy and decided to run that race as well, and I WON!!! I've never been so proud of an accomplishment.
We are so thankful to have had Mary work with us in the office and so proud of her ability to remain a Girl on the Run through all these years. Alum on the Run gives her a way to stay connected with the organization and its' mission and core values while giving back to the community.
Members of Alum on the Run will participate in volunteer projects, attend fun social events and group activities, reconnect with other former GOTR team members and meet new girls! For more information or to sign up for Alum on the Run, please visit our website.
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GOTR Presents LUNAFEST on September 20
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| A fantastic film festival is coming to St. Louis 
Girls on the Run St. Louis is excited to present LUNAFEST, a national film festival that features award-winning short films by, for and about women. On Thursday, September 20 at The Tivoli Theatre in the Loop, join GOTR St. Louis in viewing these intelligent, funny and thought-provoking films while raising funds to support the Girls on the Run St. Louis scholarship fund. The proceeds for this event will benefit the Girls on the Run St. Louis scholarship fund. We estimate the scholarship need to exceed $290,000 for the 2012-2013 school year. We pride ourselves in never turning a girl away, regardless of her ability to pay. Please join us as we introduce the St. Louis community to LUNAFEST and celebrate 10 years of Girls on the Run St. Louis, empowering more than 10,000 girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living! Event details:
7:00 p.m.
Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63130)
Ticket price is $25 per ticket and includes film viewing and reception.
Visit our website to purchase tickets and for more information. View a trailer of the films that will be shown.
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SoleMates
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| Use the power of running to change the life of a girl
We are so excited to be starting a new season of Girls on the Run St. Louis. Seeing the girls accomplish their goals is so inspiring and often drives many of our adult supporters to want to achieve their own race goals! SoleMates is the charity running leg of Girls on the Run St. Louis. Male and female athletes pursue individual goals to raise money for Girls on the Run St. Louis. 100% of the funds raised through SoleMates stays in the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area to ensure local girls a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Our SoleMates play a vital role in ensuring the future success of Girls on the Run St. Louis programs that impact the lives of thousands of young women every year. Our team continues to build each season and for each of the major local races. We're sending runners to the Chicago Marathon in October and we have racers staying in town to run the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon. SoleMates run the Go! St. Louis Marathon or head to destination races across the country! You may run, walk, bike, hike, any event as a SoleMate. If you wish to join our team, you may register here. You pay a $1 registration fee and receive a technical running shirt, training plan designed for SoleMates, a personal online fundraising page, wonderful incentive prizes along the way, and as many fundraising and training tips as you could ever want! You may also see what we're up to by joining our St. Louis SoleMates group page on Facebook. Or join our SoleMates newsletter list - email Katy Sommer and let her know you want to be kept up-to-date on the latest with the amazing group!
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