For more info and to register, visit www.capareagirlsontherun.org/5kreg

This unique, family friendly 5K is open to the public! We hope you will join our girls as we celebrate the end of our Spring 2013 season on May 18th! Features:

• Safe, paved, mostly flat course on the scenic Milton Hershey School campus
• Chip timed
• Age group awards
• Strollers and walkers welcome. (Sorry, no pets.)

All proceeds benefit Capital Area Girls on the Run, allowing us to continue improving and expanding our transformational after school program for 3rd-8th grade girls in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties.

Dr. Michael Werner, Food and Ankle Specialist at the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania, provides useful information about a common ailment in runners: Achilles tendinitis.  Please click here to read Dr. Wener’s informative tips on how to treat and prevent this debilitating injury.

Michael Werner, M.D.
Foot and Ankle Specialist
Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania
(717) 761-5530

The team roster for the Spring 2013 season is set and includes 21 partner schools! We are thankful for the support of volunteers, donors, and sponsors which has enabled us to reach more and more local girls since our start just 18 months ago! This time last year we had seven partner schools, which shows our tremendous growth!

Spring 2013 Partner Schools:

• Broad Street Elementary (Grades 3-5, Mon/Fri 2:45-4:15)
• East Pennsboro Area Middle (Grades 5-8, Tues/Thurs 3:00-4:30)
• Elmwood Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 2:45-4:15)
• Hershey Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 3:45-5:15)
• Highland Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 3:45-5:15)
• Holy Name of Jesus School (Grades 3-5, Tues/Fri 3:00-4:30)
• Iron Forge Educational Center (Grades 4-5, Mon/Wed 3:30-5:00)
• Linglestown Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 4:00-5:30)
• Melrose Elementary (Grades 3-5, Mon/Thurs 3:30-5:00)
• Mountain View Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 4:00-5:30)
• North Side Elementary, CD (Grades 3-5, Days TBA 4:00-5:30)
• Northside Elementary, Mech. (Grades 3-5, Mon/Wed 2:30-4:00)
• Red Mill Elementary (Grades 3-5, Mon/Wed 3:45-5:15)
• Rossmoyne Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 3:45-5:15)
• Shippensburg Area Intermediate (Grades 4-5, Mon/Wed 3:30-5:00)
• Shippensburg Area Middle (Grades 6-8, Tues/Thurs 2:45-4:15)
• St. Margaret Mary School (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 3:00-4:30)
• Susquehanna Township Middle (Grades 6-8, Mon/Wed 2:30-4:00)
• Thomas Holtzman Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 3:30-5:00)
• Upper Allen Elementary (Grades 3-5, Tues/Thurs 2:45-4:15)
• West Hanover Elementary (Grades 3-5, Mon/Wed 4:00-5:30)

Participant Registration opens the week of February 4th!

Stretch for Success!

Stretching is one of those things that everybody knows about, but very few actually do (at least regularly). Stretching has been shown to not only reduce injuries, but also improve performance. So, you not only feel better, you do better! It’s very important to stretch gently before you run, and then again after. Done correctly, stretching should feel like your muscles are tight, but it should never hurt. When you stretch a body part, you should gently hold the stretch for a few seconds, relax, then repeat a couple of times. You should never bounce while stretching. Running is a great way to stay in shape and have fun doing it. Stretching is an easy way to run better and stay healthier so you can enjoy it more!

From Dr. Brett Himmelwright, Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania

Offices in Harrisburg, Camp Hill, and Carlisle

(717) 761-5530

Want to host a GOTR team at your school this spring? We are still accepting a limited number of teams on a first-come, first-served basis. Starting a team is easy! First, visit our Team Registration Page for all of the details. Then make sure you complete the team registration form at https://www.elleevance.com/beventLive.aspx?EventID=NBI80824240 by January 20, 2013.

Any questions? Please contact Brandi Berwager, Council Director, at (717) 487-6466.

Saturday, January 26, 2013 - 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

You are invited to Winter Wellness Day, a fundraiser organized by the Family Wellness Center at Briarsdale. The event will focus on fun, education, energy, and prosperity, with attendees enjoying four health workshops, a delicious organic lunch, a silent auction, and awesome prize giveaways! All proceeds benefit Capital Area Girls on the Run!

Register before December 31, 2012 to take advantage of an early bird discount! To sign up, complete the Winter Wellness Day Registration Form and mail with payment to: The Family Wellness Center, 1000 Briarsdale Road, Harrisburg, PA 17109.

The event will take place at the Family Wellness Center (address above). Any questions or want to know how you can help with the event? Contact Brandi Berwager, Council Director, at (717) 487-6466.

Thank you to Cory Mull for writing such a nice article about us on Pennlive.com! Check out the article here: https://blog.pennlive.com/running/2012/12/girls_on_the_run_is_finding_su.html

THANK YOU to Harrisburg Area Road Runners Club for giving our council a front page article in their Winter 2012 newsletter! Click here to read the article and view the newsletter. To learn more about HARRC’s support of the local running community, please visit their website at https://www.harrc.org/.

Girls on the Run impacts lives beyond our participants and volunteers. Through our dynamic curriculum, girls explore how they can positively connect with and shape the world. This includes a Community Impact Project which each team plans and implements at the end of the 12 week season. Check out examples of how our teams are helping others through their Community Impact Project this fall!

Iron Forge Educational Academy (South Middleton) — Sending care packages and letters to children in Sendai, Japan who were victims of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

East Pennsboro Middle — Making goodie bags and thank you cards for the East Pennsboro Middle School staff - to show appreciation.

Elmwood Elementary (Mechanicsburg) — Decorating and delivering cookies to local heroes, their community firefighters.

Northside Elementary (Mechanicsburg) — Making cards for Josie Gaffney, a sophomore at Mechanicsburg High School who suffers from Lyme disease, including severe arthritis as a result of the illness.

Silver Spring Elementary (Cumberland Valley) — Making care packages for soldiers and for the local Humane Society. They are also making thank you cards for our council - these are much needed to show gratitude to volunteers, donors, and sponsors of Capital Area Girls on the Run.

Mountain View Elementary (Central Dauphin) — Stuffing race bags to help the Arthritis Foundation prepare for the Jingle Bell 5K. This is especially meaningful since one of the Mountain View girls has juvenile arthritis and has even organized her own fundraising efforts for the Arthritis Foundation.

We had a blast at the Mechanicsburg Halloween Parade on Tuesday evening. Twenty GOTR girls from Elmwood, Northside, and Upper Allen Elementary Schools walked “GOTR tall” along with the Arthritis Foundation to promote the upcoming Jingle Bell 5K. Thanks to the coaches and moms who helped make it a fun and safe evening!!!