Spotlight on Running Clubs

Lucas students know how to go the extra mile!  

Girls on the Run is a national organization that has had a presence in eastern Iowa for ten years and at Lucas since 2014.  Participants include girls from grades 3-6. This season recently wrapped up with a 5k run and a community impact project.   This year, the Girls on the Run members raised nearly $100 for hurricane recovery through a hot cocoa, tea, and coffee fundraiser.

Let Me Run is a similar group for boys in grades 4-6.  It is also a national organization, though it is new to eastern Iowa, and this is the first year Lucas students have participated.  The Let Me Run team also culminated their season by running in their first team 5k.  According to the Let Me Run website's purpose statement, "We hope to reduce the challenges associated with a lack of emotional expression in pre-teen and teenage boys, which can lead to stress, sickness, disease, addiction, and violence."

Both groups offer financial assistance to help cover membership fees--in fact, nearly 60% of Girls on the Run participants receive some financial assistance, and over $86,000 in scholarships was awarded last year in the Eastern Iowa Council.  Ms. Keninger is participating in Team 10 Cubed, which is a group dedicated to raising money to support the Girls on the Run scholarship fund.  She and the other Team 10 Cubed members will run ten 10k runs in ten months.  Let Me Run's scholarships are funded entirely by donations.  If you would like to donate or know of a local business, civic group, or faith community that would like to support Let Me Run, visit LetMeRun.org/Donate.

The spring season for Girls on the Run will begin at the end of February, and you can find promotional materials and registration forms in the main office or from Ms. Crowe, Ms. Goodwin, or Ms. Keninger.  The start date for the spring season of Let Me Run has not yet been determined, but if you are interested in learning more, visit LetMeRun.org.  Let Me Run registration forms will be available online.  Keep an eye out for details on the Lucas PTO Facebook (facebook.com/LucasElementaryPTO) and in Peach Jar emails. 

Questions?  Contact Ms. Keninger (keninger.chelsea@iowacityschools.org) for Girls on the Run or Eva Schoen (egschoen@gmail.com) for Let Me Run.