We are excited to highlight Karene Hansen, a GOTRGC 5K Volunteer Super Star, who has been volunteering at our councils’ fall and spring 5Ks since 2022! Discover more about Karene and learn what inspired her to volunteer with Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake in her GOTRGC spotlight. For Karene’s spotlight, we asked her a series of Q&A-style questions, and these are her responses.

1) When and how have you been involved with Girls on the Run?

My sister actually helped me discover GOTR as she was going to run with one of her former students so I decided to volunteer for the race and fell in love with the program and the environment it created for the girls. That was years ago and I have been volunteering for the 5k runs ever since.

2) What drew you to the program to get involved?

Running has always been an outlet and form of release for me and I was happy to be part of a program that encouraged girls to get outdoors, exercise and belong to a community with other girls.

3) Why do you think it's so important for girls today to have access to this program?

For many of the girls this is something new that may or may not turn into a habit of exercise but either way I can see the excitement to accomplish something that they might not have had the opportunity to do outside of the event.

4) What is your favorite part about the GOTRGC end of season 5K?

I love to see how excited the girls are on race morning. I have been volunteering for buddy bib pick-up for a while now since there we see many of them with their running buddies first thing and even more than being excited to run I think they are also very excited to have their buddies/families doing it with them.

5) What impact has the program had on you? 

GOTR brings the communities of so many different schools around the Chesapeake area together, it continues to drive my personal goals to seek out and join similar communities and volunteer organizations.

6) What are some of your hobbies or interests?

I am a runner myself and have also for many years enjoyed yoga. I am also somewhat of an explorer so have found the best of both worlds combined by attending many yoga retreats over the years, most recently traveling all the way to Africa on a yoga retreat safari <3

Feeling inspired and want to learn more about how you can get involved with the Girls on the Run of the Greater Chesapeake 5K? Visit: https://www.gotrchesapeake.org/volunteer.