Northern Virginia Group to Hold Area's Second-Largest 5K Run with 3,500 Girls
Local Nonprofit Makes Huge Impact on Girls with a Running Program
FAIRFAX, Va., Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia (GOTR-NOVA), a nonprofit based in Fairfax, will host its annual Reindeer Romp 5K at Reston Town Center on Saturday, December 4, 2010 beginning at 7:30 a.m. The Reindeer Romp 5K, which attracted close to 6,500 participants in 2009, is the second-largest 5K run in the area behind the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The 5K celebrates "girl power" with nearly 3,500 girls, ages 8-13, running 3.1 miles with their "buddy runners" -- parents, teachers, coaches, and community volunteers.
The Reindeer Romp 5K, which aligns with First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative, is the finale of a 10-week program that teaches girls not only physical agility, but specific life-lessons, such as dealing with body image, resisting peer pressure and bullying, making healthy decisions, and contributing to the community. The program focuses on building self-esteem and improving emotional and physical health by using the power of running to help prepare the girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. "It's less about the run and more about setting a goal, working for the goal, and achieving the goal," said Catherine Keightley, Executive Director of GOTR NOVA.
About Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia
Established in 2001, GOTR NOVA began its after school program with 27 girls. Through interactive activities such as running, playing games, and discussing important issues, the girls learn how to celebrate being girls and to honor their own voices. Led by trained female coaches who guide and mentor the girls through a curriculum–based program, the girls are empowered with greater self-awareness, a sense of achievement, and a foundation in team building to help them become strong, contented, and self-confident young women. During the program, the girls train together to run in the Reindeer Romp 5K.
Currently, GOTR NOVA serves over 3,500 girls at 150 sites in Northern Virginia. GOTR NOVA is an Independent Council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of over 150 chapters across the United States and Canada serving tens of thousands of girls. For more information on Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia visit www.gotrnova.org.
Contact: Catherine Keightley, Executive Director |
|
Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia |
|
(703) 405-5727 |
|
SOURCE Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia
Share this article