Community and Girls on the Run
Over the past week, the Girls on the Run groups in the Triangle area have completed lessons #20 and #21, which to the outside world may not be a very big deal.
But, in both of these lessons, the girls and their coaches work together to create and implement a big community service project. The group starts out by discussing the concept of community: "What is a community? "How does a community run smoothly?"  "Can we think of some problems in our area that we can help to solve?" 
They then brainstorm how their group can have a positive impact on the community and what they can do to help others in need, creating a service project that they will carry out over the course of the next two lessons.
This past week, the GOTR groups in the Triangle have truly shown that they understand the meaning of community and used their talents and hearts to help out many local groups.
T'is the season to be thankful for all we have and for the amazing GOTR groups, to give to others. Kudos to all of our girls and coaches at the 25 sites in the Triangle for reminding us about the season of giving. Happy Thanksgiving!
Here are just some examples from some of our programs of their service projects:

• Kraft YMCA, Holly Springs: Bake Sale to benefit UNC Children's Hospital
• Durham Academy: Collected gently worn sneakers for the Soles for Souls organization
• Brentwood Boys and Girls Club, Raleigh: Created holiday card's for the club's adult volunteers and collected yogurt tops to fight breast cancer
• Chapel Hill YMCA: Baked homemade cat/dog treats and raised money for the Orange County Animal shelter
• Southwest Elementary, Durham: Made cards for residents at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Durham
• Underwood Elementary, Raleigh: Created door signs and made bracelets for patients in the UNC pediatrics wing
• Trinity School, Durham: Made "get well soon" cards for UNC burn center patients
• Scroggs Elementary, Chapel Hill: Created goody bags for children at UNC hospital