Why I Run United: Lanette Ervin, Team Girl Scouts

I’ve been with Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan for two years as the human resources director. Last summer, I was challenged to form a wellness committee. Now, we meet monthly to come up with ways to encourage our employees to create healthy habits.

This year, a committee member saw Run United on United Way’s website. When she shared it, I instantly thought it would be a wonderful way for my team to get active. I took the bull by the horns and sent an email to our staff to start building our Run United team.

It’s great that we are raising money for backpacks and school supplies. I worked in a school for a couple of years and there are limited resources for teachers. Sometimes teachers come out of their pockets to help their students. If we can do something to help, I’m all for it.

Team Girl Scouts is currently around nine people. It’s a combination of people comfortable with physical challenges, and others who haven’t done anything like this before. Like me, I used to get involved but it’s been so long.

Run United is a great way to get me active and off the couch. I was able to encourage some other folks to join by explaining that 26 miles isn’t intimidating because usually marathons are in one day and this challenge is a whole month. It’s really less than a mile a day.

I’m planning on using a YouTube video called Walk Away the Pounds to help meet my goals. You get a good workout stepping in place, side to side and back. I’m going to use that to get my miles in. Hopefully, I’ll get in shape, too.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s fifth annual Run United Virtual Marathon will support students in our region, helping them take on the school year with school supplies, books, and access to out-of-school time programming. Participants are challenged to log 26.4 miles from August 12th to September 13th. Through One Cause, friends, family and teammates can view their progress and virtually cheer them on.