A photo from last year’s Girls on the Run Western MA Sneaker Soirée.
Photo credit: Girls on the Run Western MA
Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts will host its third annual Sneaker Soirée on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Springfield Country Club.
Girls and their families are invited to dress in their party attire and favorite sneakers for an evening of food, fun and inspiration in support of the organization.
“It’s an uplifting event. Our goal and hope is to raise funds to support the work we’re doing and also get people interested in being part of it. It’s a really fun night and builds on the theme of the sneaker soirée,” said Development and Outreach Manager Lisa Queenin. “There’s no strict attire per say, but we do encourage everyone to wear their sneakers and get some fun photos with everyone because promoting physical activity movement, positive health outcomes for girls, I think everyone shares in that mission too.”
Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in third to eighth grade. This fall season will introduce a newly updated curriculum for coaches to guide and facilitate lessons for their teams.
The eight-week season will feature 16 lessons curated to build life skills around timely and age-appropriate topics such as managing emotions, positive self-talk, navigating friendships and more. The season culminates with teams completing a community impact project and a celebratory 5K. The Fall 5K is happening on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at Western New England University.
The event will feature a silent auction with various items and experiences available from local supporters, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, a wine pull, and an opportunity to hear directly from Girls on the Run participants and coaches about their experiences. All event proceeds will support program scholarships so more girls can experience the transformative impact of the program.
Tickets are $50 per person or $400 for a table of eight. More information and tickets are available at girlsontherunwesternma.org/sneaker-soiree.
Queenin told Reminder Publishing that the event has become the signature fundraising event for the group as the money raised helps fund the program and scholarships for girls to join. Queenin noted that 65% of the girls in the program from last year required some level of financial aid, and scholarships are given out on a sliding scale with full and partial support, enabling more girls to participate in the program.
“It’s mostly to raise funds, but also to bring new people into a space to learn about Girls on the Run. We have coaches and girls that speak about their experience being part of the program. The hope is also just to have more people learn about girls on the run,” said Queenin. “We have probably about 150 guests attend the event. It’s a real mix of coaches, families, board members, community members, invited in. It’s a really nice mix of people.”
Program Director Molly Hoyt added the event helps inspire girls further as it gives them a platform to speak publicly about their experiences in Girls on the Run.
“I think it inspires people for sure, especially the girls, they work really hard on what they’re going to say,” said Hoyt.
Program Manager Coleen Ryan added, “They exceed our expectations in how they’re able to articulate their experience, and we don’t always know what the girls are really getting out of it in absorbing these experiences, but when we hear back from them, what it was to them, it is surprising in a positive way. The overarching goal of this program is to build confidence in the girls so to see them come up and speak in front of 150 adults, it’s very impressive and they feel really proud of themselves. And their families come with them so they can be there to support and it’s pretty sweet.”
Queenin said last year they were able to raise $10,000 through the silent auction and the goal this time around has been upped to $20,000. Some of the items to be included in the auction will be tickets to a New England Patriots game, spa certificates, gift baskets and gift cards from local businesses and more.
The silent auction will be available online to event attendees and the public starting on Oct. 4. All item donations are welcomed and should be directed to the Girls on the Run Western Mass. staff.
“It’s growing. This event is steadily getting larger and so is our Girls on the Run community, so it’s kind of parallel. It’s a nice time for us to come together and just celebrate. Coaches are all over Western Mass., the board members are all over Western Mass., so it is a nice time for us to actually be in the same room together and see each other and be reminded that we’re kind of all in this together,” said Ryan. “Which is a good reminder because sometimes you’re on your own or feeling frustrated or less connected, and this is a nice way to renew that connection.”
Girls on the Run Western MA thanks its presenting sponsor the Jamrog Group for their commitment and generous support, as well as other event sponsors Specialty Bolt & Screw, Burkhart Pizzanelli, P.C., Meyers Brothers Kalicka P.C., and Maritn Wohl and Marisa Labozzetta.
Over the last 10 years, Girls on the Run Western MA has grown from 90 girls on six teams in fall 2015 to more than 1,900 girls on 85 teams in 2025. The organization has served more than 13,000 girls in all four Western Massachusetts counties since its start.
“The Sneaker Soirée is wonderful because it’s great for us to hear the girls speak and the coaches talking too. Any time we can hear about what the program is doing outside of our office walls is amazing,” added Hoyt. “Girls on the Run, I do feel like has become its own little community. We have so many coaches and people that have volunteered 5K after 5K, or have been on the board forever, and you don’t have spaces where you can all get together and be surrounded by people that really share your mission and your values of what you think the future should be like for kids. It’s nice to be all in one place to be able to do that, it’s just a good reminder of what we do.”
