On Wednesday, October 19, Women’s Initiative, an affinity group of United Way, will celebrate its 15-year anniversary with a special event to mark the occasion. The annual fete, “Pursuing Inspiration”, will feature a special keynote speaker— Girls on The Run founder, Molly Barker. The topic of her presentation will be “Put your Passion to Work”.
Girls on The Run
Girls on the Run is committed to inspiring girls to live a healthy and confident life with a creatively integrated running curriculum. Active in over 200 cities across the nation, including Toledo, the organization serves over 200,000 women and girls each year.
Founded in 1996, Girls on the Run implements a 12-week curriculum for 3rd – 8th graders, and is designed to provide girls “with the tools to live their lives with intention…to journey through life with their feet firmly grounded in self-respect, communal support, and love; and their hearts filled to overflowing with joyful passion and child-like curiosity to reach high, dream big, and achieve their greatest human potential”, as outlined on the founder’s website, MollyBarker.com. Retired from the organization, Barker travels extensively visiting those delivering the program in their communities. Ms. Barker is also an author and four-time Hawaii Ironman triathlete who has been featured in People Magazine, Glamour, Redbook, and Runner’s World. Additionally, she was recognized by President Obama as a Daily Point of Life and was chosen by Fast Company as part of the League of Extraordinary Women.
A Powerful Event with a Great Cause
Over 400 people are expected at this year’s event. 15 local businesses have donated designer purses which will be auctioned to benefit the Imagination Library, a charity founded by Dolly Parton, which donates books to children under 6 to improve literacy and kindergarten preparedness. Since 2014, 2,600 local children have signed up. Imagination Library has donated over 60,000,000 books since its inception in 1995.
5pm, networking and mingling.
6pm, Molly Barker’s keynote address.
Wednesday, October 19
$40/members. $50/general.
Tickets are available at womens-Initiative.org
The Pinnacle, 1772 Indian Wood Cir., Maumee.
