Girls on the Run New Jersey North is thrilled to announce that their dedicated coach and fundraiser, Kendal George, has been awarded with the 2025 Remarkable Volunteer Award by its headquarters, Girls on the Run International. The annual Remarkable Volunteer Awards is a national volunteer recognition program designed to shine a light on the inspirational impact volunteers have on the nonprofit organization Girls on the Run (GOTR). 36 volunteers are recognized each year out of nominations from hundreds of Girls on the Run councils nationwide.
“Kendal George has been a champion for our organization since 2019.” says Maureen Dykstra, Executive Director of Girls on the Run NJ North. “She embodies the spirit of Girls on the Run and we are delighted to celebrate her as a Remarkable Volunteer. Our coaches are the backbone of the Girls on the Run program and we are grateful to Kendal for her dedication to our mission. She is an inspiration to our entire Girls on the Run community!"
Please read more about Kendal and her contributions to NJ North below:
Kendal is a 1st grade teacher at the Selzer School in Dumont, New Jersey. She is currently coaching her 9th Girls on the Run season, and she has led well over 100 girls across the finish line. Kendal leads her team with kindness, encouragement, and authenticity. She looks for ways to connect her girls in fun and engaging ways, making sure that all feel valued, heard and seen. In her new coach application, she shared that, “She wanted to coach because she was seeing girls who were lonely, needed a friend, and craved support during the tough times at school.” She knew that Girls on the Run could help them to build their confidence and that it would give them the tools to navigate life’s challenges.
Kendal has also filled the role of site liaison and been a SoleMate for us 3 times, most recently as a member of the Fleet Feet National SoleMates team. Her belief that Girls on the Run is for every girl motivated her to become a SoleMate. She challenged herself to complete a marathon and she has raised over $5300 for our NJ North Council. Kendal wrote this on her SoleMates page, “This program helps girls to grow mentally, physically, and emotionally and can be life changing for each of them. Mental health is very important and can be easily overlooked as a weakness, which it is not. GOTR has helped to challenge me to be the best version of myself that I can be, and being a SoleMate is a wonderful opportunity to help others.”
Join us in congratulating Kendal on this well deserved award!