I love to stay connected to my community through two of my favorite programs that I have volunteered with for years now.
The first is an organization called Girls on the Run (www.girlsrun.org). Girls on the Run® is a 501(c)3 positive youth development program which combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire self-respect and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls. The core curriculum addresses many aspects of girls’ development – their physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. Lessons provide girls with the tools to make positive decisions and to avoid risky adolescent behaviors. All of this is cleverly integrated with running and after our 10 weeks of lessons, all participants meet at Magnuson Park for a 5K. Each girl is paired with a running buddy, another volunteer from the community. All the coaches, site liasons and running buddies all volunteer their time for this amazing program. Girls from 3rd-5th grade are invited to join through thier school and we are looking to migrate the program over to our local middle school, Whitman.
Another passion of mine is an organization called Program for Early Parent Support (www.PEPS.org). The PEPS experience strengthens families, increases family wellness, and prepares families to cope with life stresses by creating small, thriving neighborhood-based new parent groups. I've facilitated six PEPS groups and always feel so privileged to be around so many amazing women venturing forward into the world of parenting with such strength and enthusiasm.
