Girls on the Run
Dear Editor: The Pathways Coalition would like to thank everyone who supported the 14th season of Girls on the Run this year! Over 20 third- through fifth-grade girls spent the last two months training while learning skills about building self-esteem and cultivating healthy lifestyles, culminating in an ‘‘Animal Party’’-themed 5K. The run was, as always, successful in large part due to the outpouring of support from GOTR families, friends, and community members. This event would not have been possible without the work of all the wonderful volunteers and coaches who helped with course set-up, ran as personal supporters with the participants, and were great cheerleaders! Thank you to everyone who contributed time and energy to make this event such a success.
This season of Girls on the Run was coordinated by members of the Pathways to a Safer Sitka Coalition, with each partner agency taking responsibility for a specific component of the program and providing coaches to act as positive adult mentors for participants. We at SAFV are grateful for the contributions of Barbara Quinn from Youth Advocates of Sitka for being head coach; Annie Mattea and Anastasia Stefanowicz from Sitka Counseling for supporting the coordination of the 5K and coaching; Jeanine Brooks, Mindy Barry and Casey Demmert from Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School for their consistent support and practice space; Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Madison Roy-Mercer for coaching and incorporating Southeast Alaska Traditional Tribal values, and Chuck Miller and Hillary Nutting for 5K support; Anna Schumacher from Sitka Conservation Society for implementing the Community Impact Project and coaching; and Shakira Logwood and Erin O’Neill, Outer Coast students who volunteered as coaches for the program.
Community sponsors have long been integral to the success of Girls on the Run, and this year was no different. A special thank you to Sea Mart, AC Lakeside, Rising Tide, Backdoor Cafe, Russell’s, Sitka Fine Arts Camp, Sitka National Historical Park, the Daily Sitka Sentinel, Raven Radio, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Association of Alaska School Boards for their support and donations of time, resources, and knowledge.
We are grateful to be able to offer our programs on Lingít Aaní and we thank the Lingít people for being great stewards of this land since time immemorial.
Thank you to all who helped bring such joy and celebration to the community this year! We look forward to offering Boys Run I toowú klatseen this coming fall. If you’re interested in getting involved in Girls on the Run or Boys Run I toowú klatseen, email schools@safv.org. We’re always recruiting coaches and we’d love to have you join us in this work! Gunalchéesh.
Katie Niedermeyer,
Girls on the Run Coordinator,
Sitkans Against Family Violence
