On April 14th, the Hopkinton Girl Scouts held their annual Marathon Tea. This year marked an especially memorable celebration as Girl Scout Cadet Troop 73791 was honored. A marathon related patch that the cadets created was recently approved by the Girl Scouts of Massachusetts and can now be earned all across the state. The Going the Distance patch teaches those who earn it about the preparation, discipline, and dedication it takes to run a marathon. Cadets Avery McKenna, Amanda Rogers and Chloe Smith were very excited to have the chance to create a patch that celebrated Hopkinton's connection to the Boston Marathon.
Girl Scouts attending the tea celebration had the opportunity to "Go the Distance" themselves by completing a variety of activities at a number of stations. Some of the activities included learning about the history of the Boston Marathon, eating a nutritious snack, showing good sportsmanship, and exercising. The goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle, regardless of athletic ability. It is a message that struck Hopkinton Athletic Association President Michael Neece.
"The patch is just not about marathoning," said Neece. "It's about going the distance in whatever you choose to do. There's different ways you can meet the different criteria. You don't just have to run. You can do all kinds of other activities, so it's designed to be inclusive for whatever level of ability you have."
Cadet Amanda Rogers encouraged the girls in attendance to continue to going the distance in their own lives.
"Going the distance means going the extra mile," said Rogers. "People who run marathons are excellent examples of going the distance because they put a great amount of effort in training and they never give up. Going the distance means that you are determined and strong and you won't stop until you accomplish your dream. The reason why we named this patch after such a meaningful goal," continued Rogers, "is because we wanted to portray the fact that when you run a marathon you are accomplishing more than just running 26.2 miles."
In creating the patch itself the girls demonstrated many of the qualities of a successful marathon runner, as the yearlong process to get the patch approved took teamwork, leadership, and hard work. For the cadets, the end result was well worth it.
For more information about how to earn the patch, Click Here.
