Making an Impact with Girls on the Run
For the past several years, we’ve been searching high and low for the perfect charity partner. While we have partnered with many charitable organizations over the years, they were all at the local level and it did not allow for much expansion into a nationwide fundraising initiative. We’ve wanted a national organization to be able to give back to, but who also exists and operates in every city we visit. We know, we had our work cut out for us! Beyond this, we wanted a charity that aligned closely with what we do, who we are, what we care about, and what our participants care about. Since we’re a 5K, many of our participants are new to running, and the majority of our organization and our participant base is female. And, we’ve finally found the perfect partner who fits this mold PERFECTLY. It is our pleasure to introduce you to our first ever, National Charity Partner… Girls on the Run International!
As an organization, Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Their programs teach girls to reach their full potential through goal setting, training, and ultimately completing a 5K run at the end of the program. Completing the 5K provides a tangible sense of accomplishment, setting a goal-oriented mindset into motion. As for us, we have always strived to welcome anyone and everyone. Whether this is your first 5K or you are a regular weekend athlete, we want to encourage all people to be active and have fun while doing so!
As an organization, Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run will be donating $1 for every registered participant to Girls on the Run this fall, and we’ve set some high goals for ourselves and our participants! Together, we plan on raising more than $50,000 for Girls on the Run this fall!
Here are some ways you can help make an impact while signing up for Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run:
Become a Fundraiser
During registration you will have the opportunity to sign up to fundraise for Girls on the Run and become part of the Empowerment Patch. By fundraising, you’re making a greater impact into the organization and changing the lives of the girls who participate. Once you raise $250, you’ll receive a refund of your registration fee to this year’s run. Here are the quick and easy steps to becoming a fundraiser:
- When you sign up for Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run, choose the ‘Fundraise for Girls on the Run’ option.
- During the registration process, you will reach a few steps prompting you to donate and set-up a fundraising page. This is the page your friends and family will see when you ask them to donate to your fundraiser. There is auto-populated content, but you can customize however you’d like!
- Set a goal. The starting goal is $250, but you are encouraged to aim higher! Why? Because not only will you make that much MORE of an impact, but you’ll also receive exciting incentives for hitting $250, $425, $750, and $1,000+! Keep reading to see what these incentives are!
- Once you finish your registration for Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run, your fundraising page will be live! You’ll receive an email with the link to your page, fundraising tips, and general support to help you reach your goal!
Learn the details for the Virtual Run here. All in? Click here to register so you can begin fundraising!
Incentives
The more donations you bring in for Girls on the Run, the sweeter it gets for you! Besides helping empower girls through the sport of running, you’ll receive some incentives for yourself:
- Raise $250: Refund of your registration and an exclusive Girls on the Run® & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run medal*
- Raise $425: Exclusive Girls on the Run & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run Training Shirt*
- Raise $750: Exclusive Girls on the Run & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run Crewneck Sweater*
- Raise $1,000: Exclusive Girls on the Run & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run Big Comfy Hoodie*
*Refund is for your base registration fee. Add-ons like Tough Pumpkin and other merchandise will not be included. All exclusive Girls on the Run & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run merchandise earned will ship to you at the end of the fundraising period (11/22/2020)
As we write this (June 17, 2020), we’ve had several people hit this fundraising goal in just a couple days, and now they’re heading towards the next milestone and earning exclusive Girls on the Run & Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run swag!
We’re in this Together
Girls on the Run and Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run will be by your side to help you reach your goal. We’ll send you best practices and easy ways to get donations (psst….sharing your fundraiser through social media will make a BIG difference!) Although we encourage you to reach your goal (because we know you are so much more capable than you think!), please know that you are not financially held to it. If you don’t hit your goal, no worries. You are still making a big difference in empowering the next generation of strong, confident, healthy, and brave women!
Other Ways to Make an Impact
If fundraising isn’t your thing, no worries! There are three other ways you can help:
- Sign Up for a Race. When you go to sign up for Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run, you’ll have an opportunity to donate directly to Girls on the Run. You can donate any amount, as it will make a difference, or choose from one of the predetermined amounts that help directly with a need, such as a water bottle or a pair of shoes for a girl! And of course, it is completely optional. Plus, Gourdy’s Pumpkin Run is donating $1 for every single registration this fall!
- Quick Donation. Of course, you can always make a quick and simple donation without signing up for the 5K. Click here to make a quick donation to Girls on the Run.
Conclusion
In case you didn’t notice, we’re very excited for our national charity partner for 2020. Whether you become part of the Empowerment Patch and fundraise or simply sign up for the Virtual Run, you’re making a direct impact on young girls’ lives across the United States. We’re so thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to see everyone get behind this and help raise funds. Thank you and we’ll see you this fall!