Red PaSH Magazine December 2013 | Page 8

Charity Y oung females making strides with Girls on the Run by KIRSTEN EBERT Girls on the Run Birmingham Metro, a local nonprofit, is inspiring young females in the community to do much more than just exercise. While running and exercise does play a role in their programs, the organization’s primary goal is to instill confidence in young females and help girls feel comfortable making good decisions as they grow up. The girls meet after school twice a week for three months to train for a 5K run while learning how to make positive lifestyle choices. “I see the pressures women and girls face to be perfect and the way they feel that they are not quite good enough, which causes them to make themselves smaller than they really are,” says Executive Director Catherine Gregory. The programs are designed to allow young women to be themselves and embrace their potential.