vGIRLS ON THE RUN continued from page 11 lesson, and they had myself and another coach with huge smiles on our faces and in tears,” she said. “It was such an amazing moment. There are a lot of strong girls in the world, and this program helps to make their voices louder and helps their personalities shine and sparkle.” Aune’s daughter, Aracelli, has been an enthusiastic participant of the program. Lessons such as Doctorman described are her favorite part of each session. “The most important one is on not being a bully,” Aracelli said. Throughout the season, each participant has the chance to receive what is known as an energy award. “It is a way to celebrate when girls make positive choices, and it is a fun way to celebrate accomplishments large and small,” said Reyes. “The girl who receives it gets to pick the specific energy award. They have fun making up different awards like ‘Amazon Warrior’ or ‘Dead Bug.’” As each season progresses, the coaches see how this program affects the participants and brings positive changes to each girl. “I have seen them go from being shy and quiet, and by the end of the season they are participating in every lesson and running at the front of the pack and becoming a team leader,” said Aune. Doctorman agreed, describing how powerful it is to watch a girl who is unsure at the start of the season gain confidence with each lesson. “I coached a girl for two seasons and she wasn’t able to make the 5K her first season,” said Doctorman. “It was not until mile three of our 5K after season two that she finally changed her ‘I can’t’ into an ‘I can.’ She needed to see the actual finish line and be so close to it to realize she could do it. She did not believe she could do it until she actually did it. It’s those moments, no matter how long they take, that make it worth it.” Along with weekly lessons and training to run a 5K, participants work on a community impact project that they choose as a group. “This is such an important part of the program because it emphasizes the importance of giving back and contributing to a cause greater than yourself,” said Reyes. Past community impact projects have ranged from cleaning up playgrounds and visiting residents of Walnut Village to raising money for Heartland Humane Society. During the last session of the season, each girl receives an award based on her best quality. “We talk about each girl, her unique qualities, and all the great things she has contributed to our group,” said Doctorman. “Before we say the girl’s name, most have figured out who we are talking about. It is the aspects of who we are on the inside and how we treat others that we use to award the girls, and they know exactly who we are talking about. That, to me, is very powerful. I do not know many instances where you describe someone by how they make you feel rather than the color of their skin, body type or clothes they wear. That is Girls on the Run.” As the coaches prepare for another season of GOTR (the spring session runs from late February to May), they are sure of one thing – they will continue to participate in the program. “I will continue to volunteer as long as I can,” said Aune. “I knew this was something that I wanted to do from day one of the program something that I had to do.” vGIRLS ON THE RUN continued on page 26 Vignette® ModernModern Roman Shades Vignette® Roman Shades Cozier winters. Cooler summers. Cozier winters. Cooler summers. Energy savings year-round. Energy Cozier winters. Cooler summers. savings year-round. Energy savings year-round. 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Ask participating dealer for details and rebate form. ©2017 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners. 18Q1MAGVC1 HERVOICEvMARCH/APRIL 2018v23