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About Molly Barker
Molly Barker, MSW, a 4-time Hawaii Ironman triathlete, founded Girls on the Run® in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1996. Molly began running at the age of 15—an age when she found herself stuck in the “girl box,” when only girls who were a certain size with a certain beauty were popular; when girls who wanted to fit in had to mold their bodies and their personalities to fit the requirements of the box.
Molly kept running. Years later, on July 7, 1993, she took off on a sunset run and found the inspiration that grew into Girls on the Run®. Using her background in counseling and teaching, her personal recovery from alcoholism, along with research on adolescent issues, she developed the earliest version of the 12-week 24-lesson curriculum with the help of 13 brave girls at Charlotte Country Day School. The next session 26 girls showed up, then 75, and so the program grew.
In 1998 Runner’s World, a national running magazine awarded Molly its “Golden Shoe Award” for contributions to the community through running. That brief mention in Runner’s World brought Molly calls from across the country and Canada. In 2000 Molly decided to share her brainchild with the world, and Girls on the Run, International, ® a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, was born.
Today, there are Girls on the Run® programs in over 120 cities across North America, with tens of thousands of girls and women participating. In 2006, Girls on the Run® and New Balance will host over 60 end-of-season races across the United States and Canada. People, Runner’s World, Running Times, MSNBC, ABC News, NBC News, NPR, ESPN, and CNN News have featured Molly and the program. Corporate sponsors for Girls on the Run International include New Balance Athletic Shoe and Apparel Company and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.
With the success of her book, Girls on Track, A Parent’s Guide to Inspiring our Daughters to Achieve a Lifetime of Self-Esteem and Respect, an Amazon top ten pick for best parenting book of 2004, and an upcoming feature in “O, The Oprah Magazine”, Barker has become a highly visible role model for women of ALL ages. She was recently selected as Charlotte’s Woman of the Year. Molly clearly is passionate about her work yet still claims the most difficult thing she has yet to do…is inspire two of her own children, 10 year old Hank and 7 year old Helen to follow their own hearts and become healthy, thriving and peaceful people.
Molly lives in Charlotte, NC and enjoys writing, running and cycling, but enjoys, above all else, hanging out with her 2 kids.
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Molly's Book
On March 31, 2004, Ballentine Books published Molly Barker's new book, GIRLS ON TRACK - A Parent's Guide to Inspiring Our Daughters to Achieve a Lifetime of Self-Esteem and Respect.
In GIRLS ON TRACK, Barker presents a successful ten-week self-esteem building program for girls between the ages of 8 and 12. She takes the lessons and precepts of Girls on the Run® and translates them into a curriculum for individual girls and the grown-ups who love them and want to see them break out of the dreaded “Girl Box.” Used on its own or in conjunction with a Girls on the Run® program, this accessible guide includes activities, games, and lessons to encourage parents and daughters to get to know one another through working together, listening, and sharing while training for a 5K race.
Topics include:
- It’s Cool to Be Myself
- Let’s Get Physical: Being physically healthy
- Life is the Ultimate Rush: Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse
- Beauty is an Inside Job: Avoiding eating disorders
- Our Family Team: The importance of cooperation
Order your copy today!
Click here or on the Shop button to the left to purchase the book and support Girls on the Run!
Molly Barker's Girls on Track was selected as one of the Best Parenting and Families Books of 2004 by:
Click here for more information
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Molly's Media Appearances
Please check back soon for upcoming media appearances.
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Molly's Speaking Engagements and Appearances
Click here to request Molly as a speaker at your next event!
Appearances:
April 28 - Union County Girls on the Run 5k; Weddington, NC, 8:00 a.m. Contact: bbgrote@bellsouth.net.
April 29 - Tri County Girls on the Run 5k; Fort Mill, SC, 2:00 p.m. For information: www.gotrtricountysc.org.
May 5 - Charlotte Girls on the Run 5k; Charlotte, NC, 8:00 a.m. For information: www.gotrcharlotte.org.
May 12 - Cincinnati Girls on the Run 5k; Cincinnati, OH, 4:00 p.m. Contact: GOTRCincinnati@fuse.net.
June 2 - Takeda Wondergirl 5k: To Benefit Girls on the Run of Chicago; Chicago, IL, 8:00 a.m. For information www.gotrchicago.org.
June 7 - Kalmazoo Girls on the Run 5k; Kalamazoo, MI, 6:30 p.m. For information: www.girlsontherunkazoo.org.
June 10 - Vermont Girls on the Run 5k; Burlington, VT, 10:00 a.m. For information: www.gotrvt.org.
Speaking Engagements:
May 10 - Greenville Memorial Children's Hospital Mother/Daughter Dinner, Keynote;
Greenville, SC, 7:00 p.m. Contact liz@girlsontherun.org.
May 16 - Charlotte Latin School, Charlotte, NC. Contact liz@girlsontherun.org.
September 28th - Albany Business Journal Women in Business, Luncheon Keynote; Albany, NY, TBD. Contact liz@girlsontherun.org
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