(submitted photo)
Girls on the Run, a confidence-building program serving nearly 300 school-age girls across the New Orleans area, will celebrate the culmination of this year’s 10-week training program with a 5K race open to the public on Saturday morning in Audubon Park.
The race makes a lap around the Audubon Park lagoon and along the Mississippi River levee, starting at 8 a.m. Saturday. Race day activities also include live music and a Wellness Expo after the race.
For more details, see the following news release from Girls on the Run:
Girls on the Run New Orleans (GOTR NOLA), a 501 (c) non-profit organization, is celebrating its bi-annual 5k event at Audubon Park on Saturday April 21st, at 8 a.m.
Each fall and spring, the GOTR NOLA 10-week life-changing program culminates with a celebratory 5k event. The 5K is open to the public with a timed start as well as walkers, strollers, and anyone who is looking to get active Saturday morning and support a great cause.
The 2017 Girls on the Run Spring season began January 11th. This spring, the program is serving over 270 girls in Greater New Orleans. Volunteer coaches use running to help prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The program’s intentional curriculum places an emphasis on developing competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and contribution in young girls through lessons that incorporate running and other physical activities. Girls learn specific skills and strategies such as how to manage emotions, help others, make intentional decisions, and resolve conflict that they then use at home, at school and with friends. Along the way, the girls train together for the culminating 5k event.
The Spring 2018 5k is themed Let’s SOAR and participants are invited to dress in bird or animal-themed costumes as GOTR NOLA celebrates the feathers and spots that make every girl special and unique. Thirteen dancing krewes will be stationed along the course to cheer on girls as they run the 3.1 mile course through Audubon Park and surrounding neighborhoods. Girls start the morning with a Zumba warm-up led by Athleta and finish with a post-race Wellness Fair created to expose the community to healthy choices. Come ready to dance, cheer and celebrate the girls as they reach for the stars and leap across the finish line.
“Flying over the 5k finish line is the moment that girls activate their limitless potential as they realize they can achieve anything they put their minds to,” said Jody Braunig, Executive Director. “Community and sponsor support has been fantastic this year and we are so excited to see the growth of this program over the next year.”
What: GOTR Run Wild Spring 5K Event & Wellness Expo
Who: The 5K is open to anyone who is looking to get active and support a great cause. Additionally, 270 girls who completed the GOTR NOLA 10-week character-building program will be participating in the 5k.
When: Saturday, April 21st, 2018
7:00 AM Registration and pre-race activities, including warm-ups, music, “Happy Hair,” photo
booth, face painting and more!
7:30 AM Announcements from our Master of Ceremonies
8:00 AM 5K race start & Wellness Expo
9:00 AM Post 5K CelebrationWhere: The 5k will start and finish near Reunion Shelter at City Park
Registration: All ages and levels are encouraged to enter. There is a $35 registration fee before April 19th, and $40 on race day. Anyone interested in participating can sign-up at www.gotrnola.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to receive special discount codes: www.facebook.com/gotrnola www.instagram.com/gotrnola
Partners: Laureus Sports for Good Foundation USA, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Target, Always, Rite Aid Foundation, Oscar J. Tolmas Trust, Wisner, Big Lots, Academy, Tulane Women’s Sports Medicine Program, Stanley W. Ray Jr Civic Trust, Entergy, NCJW, Magnolia Fleet, Mystic Krewe of Nyx, Barman’s Fund, Moe’s Original BBQ, PJ’s Coffee, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and more!
GOTR NOLA serves the New Orleans metropolitan area, which includes the cities of New Orleans, Metairie and Kenner, and encompasses Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Spring 2018 sites include: Academy of the Sacred Heart, Belle Chasse YMCA, Bricolage Academy, Christian Brothers School, Girls on the Run Community Site, Edward Hynes Charter School, Einstein Charter, George Cox Elementary, Hazel Park/Hilda Knoff Elementary, Holy Name of Jesus, International School of Louisiana, Lafayette Charter, Lusher Charter School, Mary D Coghill Elementary, Phillis Wheatley, St. George’s Episcopal, St. Pius X School, Success Prep Academy, Ursuline Academy.
Established in fall of 2010, Girls on the Run New Orleans (GOTR NOLA) began its after school program with 22 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 volunteer 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, happy and self-confident young women. During the program, the girls train together to walk or run a celebratory 5K. Over the past 7 years, GOTR NOLA has served over 8000 girls in the New Orleans area. GOTR NOLA is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of 225 chapters across the United States and Canada serving tens of thousands of girls (185,000 per year).
For more information on Girls on the Run NOLA visit www.gotrnola.org.
