Support Girls on the Run SnoCo!

Heading into middle school this year didn’t terrify 12-year-old Sydni Riter.

“I learned so many life-building skills in Girls on the Run,” she says. “Picking friends was a big lesson. We talked about alcohol and drugs and peer pressure. I can say no to stuff. I can tell who might be into things I don’t want to do.”

Girls on the Run taught Sydni to run and function on a team.  The leader in her emerged. She discovered her determination and confidence.  Watching Sydni and so many other third- through sixth-grade girls grow through Girls on the Run in King County convinced me that this program is too special for any girl to miss.

That’s why I’m bringing Girls on the Run to Snohomish County. As a volunteer in King County for the past three years, I’ve helped girls gain confidence and learn the skills to work together to run a 5K. It’s an exhilarating experience that’s changed my life. I’ve applied to Girls on the Run International to begin a new council in Snohomish County.

Launching the new program will cost $7,500 by April to pay for staff and board training, banners, a website and the supplies and equipment that are the program’s foundation. Raising the money also will prove to Girls on the Run International that the people of Snohomish County want and wholeheartedly support this program that helps build confident, healthy girls.

Sydni didn’t run before she participated in Girls on the Run. She also didn’t finish a lot of things she started. This year, after three years in Girls on the Run, Sydni decided to run a half marathon. Her companion quit before the race, but Sydni crossed the finish line like the winner she is.Syndi and I at the Spring 5K (May 2014)