Program that’s all girl driven is crossing the river

The concept of running offers a number of connotations — from shin splints to thin hints — although its most basic tenet totally embodies Girls On The Run: to move forward.

Yes. This. Moving forward. Not just in the literal one-foot-infront-of-the-other sort of way, but incorporating life skills, problem solving and a baseline for future physical activity.

Lest we remember the man of honor this week, too, who reminded us once about the power of moving forward. One of Dr. King's greatest lines: "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

This is Girls On The Run: a national, 10-week program in the spring for girls in grades three through five that inspires them to be "joyful, healthy and confident," culminating with a 5K in May and a community service project.

It had been mostly greater

Mystic-centric in our corner of the world until this year. Allyson Lubs, a special education teacher at Claude Chester School in Groton and Girls On The Run board member, has taken the show over the bridge into New London.

This is where the rest of us help.

Lubs seeks donations to sponsor teams from the Jennings and Winthrop Elementary Schools. The cost is $150 per kid that covers a myriad of activities, although Mike Buscetto has already covered the cost of the kids' sneakers.

"I believe in empowering girls and their futures," Lubs said. "Giving them the confidence to grow with the athletic component. It's exciting this year because we're able to give opportunities to girls who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it."

Lubs cited a recent longitudinal study revealing 97 percent of the Girls On The Run participants nationally use the critical life skills they learned in the program at home and in school.

This year, the program begins Feb. 26 and runs to the 5K day May 5. All the girls running the 5K are required to have a "running buddy" the day of the race. So if you can't donate but you like to run, you are hereby invited to email Lubs at allyson. lubs@girlsontherun.org for more information.

The 10-week program runs twice a week with 90-minute sessions.

"It's not only running, but there are social and emotional aspects as well," Lubs said. "Working as a team and with others. At the end of the program, the kids focus on a community service project. Some kids have made motivational signs for students throughout the school, other have raised money for different places like animal shelters. It's all girl driven."

Lubs' last sentence speaks to the enduring power of the program: It's all girl driven.

Lubs said she'd like the program to expand further into New London, but can't do so without additional funding. Wouldn't it be, like, awesomely awesome if Lubs suddenly got enough donations to include the whole city?

This program is an illustration of how we — you, me and everyone else — can make a difference. See, we can sit behind our keyboards, lament societal affronts and feign concern ... or we can actually do something.

Remember this one and write it down: Our communities need us. All of us.

And what better way to begin a year of giving in 2018 than encouraging more physical activity in a bunch of kids who will learn life skills benefitting them many years down the road?

You can donate through Lubs at her e-mail address. You can attend a fundraiser at Stonington Vineyards Feb. 2 or learn more on its Facebook Page Girls On The Run of Southeastern Connecticut.

It's not so easy being a kid anymore. But this is a worthwhile program that empowers kids — girls, in this case — with all the right messages.

Allyson Lubs is on to something here.

She could use our help. This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro