Sometimes the best leaders emerge not from ambition, but from necessity—and love. This is exactly what happened when community member Kathleen Quinn saw a program that had meant so much to local families disappear, just as her own daughter was approaching the age to participate.
Girls on the Run relies on hundreds of volunteers each season to serve as role models to girls in their community. These coaches are the backbone of our organization. But each location requires one individual to step up and take the lead, ensuring that a safe practice space is secured, volunteers are recruited, and that word is spread throughout the community. These very special individuals are called Site Liaisons and they’re the starting point of every successful program site.
Girls on the Run has been a confidence-building staple in the Avon community for years. Through physical activities, games, and supportive group experiences, the program gave girls a safe space to challenge themselves, build friendships, and discover their own strength.
Like so many volunteer-run initiatives, individuals come and go as their time permits. After a season without GOTR programming, the Avon community needed a new leader to step in and take the reins.
Enter Kathleen. Rather than accepting that this opportunity would no longer exist, she made a decision that would benefit not just her own family, but dozens of others: she would step up to bring the program back.
"We had a lot of community interest in the program but hadn’t been able to find a volunteer with the time to take on the extra work of a Site Liaison,” shares Program Director Tricia Miller. “We were so lucky to have Kathleen step into this leadership role. Her commitment to the girls in her community shines through in her efforts to bring programming back to Avon.”
Her efforts paid off. The program is now back up and running. Now in her second season as Site Liaison, Avon’s program served 52 girls last spring and is set to serve another 45 this fall.
When asked about her experience so far as Site Liaison, Kathleen shared the following: “My first 5k was this past Spring. Being around all that energy and excitement, plus watching all those girls cross the finish line, accomplishing this goal with such pride in themselves, it was truly amazing to witness!”
Outside of Girls on the Run, Kathleen in a Pilates instructor helping clients rehab from injuries or medical issues and shares that “helping them feel better is so rewarding.” She’s also a die-hard Gurdian’s fan and loves to spend time on Lake Erie.
Kathleen's commitment reminds us that the programs and opportunities we value most in our community don't happen by accident—they happen because people like her are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work necessary to make good things happen.
To Kathleen: Thank you for seeing what your community needed and having the courage and dedication to make it happen. Your daughter—and all the girls who will participate in this program—are lucky to have someone who believes so strongly in creating opportunities for young people to grow and thrive. Your example shows us all what's possible when we move beyond wishing someone would do something and decide to be that someone ourselves.
Registration is now open for the fall season of Girls on the Run. And there are still spots available for the Avon team! Learn more and sign up today at www.gotrneo.org.