(Cazenovia, NY – June 2015) Several girls from Cazenovia’s Burton Street School recently participated in the Girls on the Run Program, thanks to certified coaches Christine Tillman, Mary-Ann MacIntosh and Cindy Hirt.
The girls have been meeting twice a week to learn about healthy eating, making good choices, team building and goal setting. The goal this year was to participate in Paige’s Butterfly Run, a 5K fundraising event for Pediatric Cancer. The event was held on Saturday June 6 in Syracuse. The Cazenovia team was part of more than 200 girls participating in the Finger Lakes Chapter of Girls on the Run that completed Paige’s Butterfly Run.
Girls on the Run is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. The curriculum includes three parts: understanding selves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the world at large. Girls on the Run started in 1996 in Charlotte, NC with 13 girls. There are now 150,000 girls participating with 120,000 volunteers.
The Rural Health Council of Madison County applied for and was awarded an Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Community Health Award to support the beginning of the program in Madison County. Girls on the Run of the Finger Lakes, Inc. agreed to add Madison County to its chapter and was essential in supporting the first year coaches.
The Madison County Community Health Improvement Plan identified the prevention of Chronic Disease through Healthy Eating and Physical Activity throughout all ages as a Tier 1 Priority in this county. Recent newspaper articles also identified some areas of Madison County with high rates of obesity. Girls on the Run is an excellent program to begin to address this issue at an early age as, “The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness”.
Madison County Rural Health Council will be collaborating with other schools over the next year to expand the program in the County. Those interested in learning more about the national program may visit www.girlsontherun.org. If you are interested about the Madison County program or in providing financial or volunteer support, you may call Madison County Rural Health Council at 315-726-4869.