How One Volunteer Was Inspired to Join Girls on the Run

As a graphic designer and author, Gail Perry Johnston found herself spending way too many hours sitting at a desk inside for work. So she set off to remedy this situation by searching for a volunteer opportunity that would allow her to get outside and get moving.

“There are a lot of things I'm passionate about, but two of them are spending time outdoors—especially if you have a desk job—and volunteering,” Gail said. “Research tells us time and again that if you spend an hour a week on something where you don't expect anything in return, you gain enormous health benefits, just like you do if you spend an hour a day outside.”

Gail wanted to find a new volunteer opportunity that challenged her to support her local community. On VolunteerMatch, which has since become part of Idealist.org, she utilized filters to narrow down search results to those located near her zipcode and that would be located outside. That’s how she came across Girls on the Run, which hosts volunteer opportunities to support after-school programs for girls in elementary and middle schools across the country.

“Although I am a parent myself, my kids are full grown. I wasn't expecting to find an opportunity to volunteer with kids, but I thought I'd give Girls on the Run a try,” Gail said.

Gail submitted a volunteer inquiry and went through the onboarding process to become a Volunteer Coach, which included submitting references, attending training sessions, and reading the Girls on the Run handbook. Once she was cleared as Volunteer Coach Gail, she was assigned to a local school in her community.

“It is amazing how I can be so overwhelmed by work and aware of all the things on my to-do list, but once I show up at Girls on the Run, I can just be in the moment to help these little girls get moving,” Gail said.

While she initially planned to volunteer for one season, Gail has been a volunteer coach for six seasons. Now, she splits her outdoor time between exploring new hiking trails and helping young girls know they can do hard things, one of the Girls on the Run mottos.

When asked why she recommends others look for community service opportunities, Gail shares that anyone can find a volunteer position that matches their interests and lifestyle. Plus, they might just be surprised about the types of opportunities that are out there!

“I think people need to know that there are different ways to get involved in their communities, and that there are a lot more opportunities available than just at their local food pantry,” she said. “There's something for everyone, really, and being outdoors, running around with these girls, it just really suits me.” 

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Gail Perry Johnston is a creative professional with a side gig as a hiking guide. She's also the author of the new Walks of the World Page-A-Day Calendar. Follow her on Instagram @gailperrytreks and "hit the trail with Gail.”