Paul and Jennifer Kafka are shown above at the Girls on the Run Minnesota booth recently. Jennifer Kafka, along with her husband Paul and Mark Haase were the coaches of the Blue Earth GOTR team.

Blue Earth’s Jennifer Kafka was recently awarded the Bold Heart Award by Girls on the Run Minnesota (GOTR), a non-profit that provides after school youth development programming for third-eighth grade girls. Kafka was honored for her leadership, inclusion, encouragement and joy she brought to her team. Kafka was just one of three coaches who received an individual award – out of nearly 900 volunteer coaches statewide.

GOTR is rooted in developing and improving competence, confidence and strength of character, with a focus on learning social and emotional skills that help create positive connection between kids and their peers, adults, communities and self.

“I am a life-long runner,” Kafka comments. “I began doing family fun runs when I was six years old.”

Kafka says she had known about the GOTR program for some time and finally decided it was time to get involved.

“I recruited my husband Paul and Mark Haase to help me coach with a goal of getting eight girls to sign up,” Kafka explains. “We ended up getting 20 girls signed up with another four girls on the waiting list.”

The girls began training in April by meeting two times a week and continued through the end of May with the goal of running a 5K in Rochester at the end of May.

“Some girls were gone on vacation but we had 16 girls who ran in Rochester,” Kafka says. “It was fun. We took a bus with family members who, along with the coaches, ran with the girls so that each runner had a running ‘safe’ buddy.”

And Kafka was pleased with the results.

“It was a great day,” she enthuses. “The girls learned the value of hard work and perseverance. It was an experience that promoted growth.”

According to GOTR, Kafka received the her award because she truly embodies what it means to lead with a Bold Heart. She brought GOTR to her community for the first time this year and worked tirelessly to ensure every participant and caregiver felt welcomed, included and supported. She was an advocate for her participants and went above and beyond to create an accessible and meaningful experience for everyone.

“I am really glad I brought the program to Blue Earth,” Kafka concludes. “I am so thankful for the support the community and staff gave to the program.”