20,000 girls will join team since founding of Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The 18th anniversary of Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin is this April, and the chapter is highlighting another milestone: their 20,000th teammate.

According to organization officials, the first season in spring of 2005 hosted just 13 girls at Shorewood Hills Elementary School. On April 3, Girls on the Run will serve it’s 20,000th local girl.

This spring, almost 1,200 girls will participate in Girls on the Run with over 300 volunteer coaches and site liaisons for over 80 teams, officials said.

“Growing up I struggled with self-esteem and confidence. Like any young girl, I began to internalize the messages that society imposed upon my impressionable mind,” Aileen Kearney, a senior at Middleton High School and previous member said.

The program is meant to teach life skills and inspire 3-8 grade girls to find joy, health and confidence through running.

“I very clearly did not fit the mold society tried to put me in, and as I realized this, I lost the blissful confidence I’d had in my earlier years. Enter Girls on the Run. I was transformed from timid and insecure to confident, strong, and outspoken. GOTR taught me that I am capable, athletic, and most of all that my voice as a woman matters,” Kearney added.

To celebrate the spring season close, Girls on the Run will host on June 3 with SSM Health a 5k that is open to the public.

To learn more about the 5k run or the organization, visit www.girlsontherunscwi.org.

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