Two elementary schools in Greater Houston have a Girls on the Run team this fall that they would not otherwise have had. That is the short version of what Rockin' Rachael made possible this season.
Rockin' Rachael is the CEO and owner of A Fare Extraordinaire, and she signed on as our Season Champion with a $5,850 sponsorship, the level that funds two complete teams. At Richey Elementary and Roberts Road Elementary, that underwrites the full season: trained coaches, the curriculum, and a spot at the finish line of our end-of-season 5K. Thirty girls, start to finish.
A Houston company that knows how to show up
A Fare Extraordinaire has been putting on events across Houston for 40 years. It is a woman-owned, turnkey catering, event planning, and design company, which in practice means the team handles everything from the menu to the linens to the florals to the room itself, including The Revaire, their own venue. They have run intimate lunches, weddings, corporate dinners, and large-scale galas, and just about everything in between.
Rachael has been part of that story for two decades, joining in 2005 and serving as Director of Sales before taking the company forward as CEO and owner. She is a Loyola University New Orleans graduate with a degree in public relations. Away from the business, she bikes, cooks, and hunts for finds at Houston thrift stores.
Ask her what makes an event worth it, and she does not point to the night itself. She points to the morning after, the text, the call, the email from a client who is still glowing. That instinct, caring most about how people feel once the lights go down, is a good part of why this partnership fits.
Preparation meets opportunity
Rachael's mantra is one our coaches could hang in a team huddle:
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
Rachael Volz, CEO & Owner, A Fare Extraordinaire
That is close to the whole idea behind our curriculum. We spend ten weeks helping girls prepare, for a 5K, yes, but also for the harder stuff: speaking up, handling a bad day, deciding what kind of friend they want to be. The preparation is the program. The opportunity is what they do with it, long after the season ends.
In her own words
We asked Rockin' Rachael a couple of questions directly. Her answers say more about why this partnership works than we ever could.
What inspired you to sponsor two teams?
"I'm inspired because I had opportunities and doors opened for me and I want to be the one to open doors now! Ladies first always and forever!"
Do you have advice from one mountain mover to another?
"Girls! We take it one day at a time, one step in front of the other, with kind words for ourselves in our hearts and minds. Rome wasn't built in a day! Before you know it, you turn around and are in awe of how far you have come!"
A sponsorship at the Season Champion level turns that preparation into an actual opportunity for girls who might not otherwise have one. Every girl on the Richey and Roberts Road teams will cross the 5K finish line this season wearing a shirt featuring the A Fare Extraordinaire logo. We can't think of a better place to be.
Thank you, Rockin' Rachael
When we asked Rachael's team to describe her in a word, they chose grateful. We would like to return that sentiment. Thank you for stepping up in a big way this fall, and for backing thirty girls who you may never meet, but on whom you will have a lasting impact.
Want to sponsor a team?
Sponsorships start well below the Season Champion level, and every tier puts girls on a team. We will walk you through what each one funds and which schools are still waiting.
Talk to us about sponsoring