As I look out my office window at the trees starting to bud, I find it hard to believe that just one short month ago we were grappling with whether or not to extend Spring program registration because of snow.  Well, time moves on and now we have just completed the first week of the Girls on the Run Spring program.  All over Northern Virginia, girls are getting together to talk about what it means to be part of a team and starting to prepare for the New Balance Girls on the Run 5K to be held on May 23^rd.

I know that coaches, girls, and parents focus on the Girls on the Run program at their school (as you should), but I also wanted you to know and appreciate that we are all part of a collective and amazing coalition of girl power.  Here are a few stats from our Spring program registration:

• 3,129 girls are currently taking part in Girls on the Run in Northern Virginia
• Nearly 30% of those girls are receiving some kind of financial assistance from Girls on the Run of NOVA
• 159 schools in our area have a Girls on the Run program
• 41 schools have more than one Girls on the Run program
• 208 parents told Girls on the Run of NOVA that they would like to volunteer (we’ll be in touch!)
• The New Balance Girls on the Run 5k run has capacity for 7,200 runners!

 With stats like those, you really do get a feel for what a large role Girls on the Run plays in our community.  And, if you have any doubt, please join us on May 23^rd at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus where all that girl power will be in full swing, even at 7:30 am when the 5K run starts!

Here at Girls on the Run, we’re used to challenges.  Like managing over 200 programs with just 2 program staff.  Finding ways to keep our promise of never turning a girl away for financial reasons.  Even persuading local companies to pass their less than perfect office furniture on to us (thank you Argon ST!).

But, really, dealing with a record 32.4 inches of snow the week we open Spring program registration!  This is definitely new territory for us (for all of us).

As with all new territory, all we can do is look at the horizon to try and see what’s coming next and come up with a plan based on our best guess.   So, that’s where we are with registration. Read the rest of this entry »