Have you ever wondered how the 5K magic happens? How does a blank space become a festive and fabulous 5K Fun Zone? Who is the team behind all that schlepping, storing, setting up and breaking down?
Well, I'll share a little secret.
For the past eight years and 14 Girls on the Run Memphis 5Ks, much of that work has fallen to one very dedicated volunteer: my husband, Josh.
From picking up a rented U-Haul and loading it with supplies, to driving back and forth between Mahaffey rentals, GOTR headquarters and our 5K venue, Josh has been our unofficial logistics manager. Alongside our amazing 5K committee and dedicated volunteers, he's helped transform empty spaces into colorful celebrations for hundreds of girls and families. And once the last participant crosses the finish line, it all has to come down, get loaded back up and be returned!
So imagine my surprise this summer when a colleague from our sister Girls on the Run council in Pennsylvania emailed to ask if we'd like an introduction to their new partner, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.
I hopped on a call to learn more, and she told me something that sounded almost too good to be true. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK had taken over practically every aspect of their 5K setup and breakdown. No more renting U-Hauls. No more coordinating the hauling and heavy lifting. And best of all? Her husband, who had been their unofficial logistics manager, was officially off the hook!
I knew immediately that we needed to make this connection.
As we've gotten to know the people behind TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, we've discovered that this partnership is about so much more than moving supplies.
I love the story of how TWO MEN AND A TRUCK got its start. In the early 1980s, two teenage brothers in Michigan began helping people move with an old pickup truck. Their mom, Mary Ellen Sheets, helped turn that small venture into an international moving company. She also donated her first year's profits to ten local charities, establishing a tradition of giving back that continues today through initiatives like Movers for Moms and partnerships with local nonprofits.
As Jac Gingrich, the company's Grassroots Marketing Manager and Community Engagement Specialist, explained, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK may be a national brand, but its franchises are local businesses committed to the communities they serve. Their motto, "Movers Who Care," reflects that philosophy.
It sounded familiar to me. When we launched Girls on the Run Memphis in 2018, we had a big dream and very few resources. Eight years later, we've served nearly 2,800 girls, trained more than 650 volunteer coaches and hosted 14 community-wide 5Ks. Despite that growth, we're still a small nonprofit that depends on dedicated volunteers and businesses willing to roll up their sleeves and help.
And Jac has certainly done that!
New to Memphis, Jac first learned about Girls on the Run through the national company's partnership with the council in Pennsylvania. She was drawn to our mission of building girls' confidence, but her interest was also deeply personal.
Jac shared that she struggled with anxiety as a young girl and faced significant challenges growing up. She knows how important it is for girls to have a positive place where they feel supported, encouraged and celebrated. Girls on the Run offered her a chance to give other girls something she wished she'd had herself.
This fall, she became a first-time coach at our Vision Prep team in South Memphis, earning herself the very fitting GOTR name Coach Jumping Jac!
And she has jumped right in!
What has surprised Jac most is how naturally the girls have embraced being part of a team. She loves watching them cheer each other on, recognize their teammates' achievements and celebrate little victories. She also appreciates that GOTR gives girls a space to simply be kids, without pressure or expectations, knowing the adults around them have their backs.
When I asked what she hopes her girls take away from GOTR, her answer really stayed with me:
"I hope they take away that no matter how daunting something might seem or how scary an unknown is, it is always okay to try."
Jac has also fallen in love with Memphis and its strong sense of community.
"We all want to build a better 901," she told me. "Let's highlight the good that we already have."
I couldn't agree more.
After eight years of building Girls on the Run Memphis, I've learned that our greatest strength is the remarkable community of people who step up, pitch in, and make our work possible.
As we prepare for our next Girls on the Run 5K, the Lipman family will still be there, sleeves rolled up, doing whatever it takes to make the day a success. Some traditions are hard to break!
Knowing that TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is stepping in to take on one of the biggest logistical responsibilities of our event is an extraordinary gift. It allows our small team to spend less time worrying about trucks, boxes and equipment and more time creating an unforgettable experience for our girls and families.
With Coach Jumping Jac cheering on her Vision Prep girls, this partnership has already become so much more than a helping hand on race day.
From moving supplies to building confidence, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is showing us what it truly means to be "Movers Who Care."
And on November 15th at 4 PM, as the sun sets on our 5K Celebration, Josh Lipman will breathe a very big sigh of relief!
