Girls with Sole is the vision of Q104 Listener and Mom Liz Ferro of Rocky River. The non-profit organization uses fitness and wellness to empower the minds, bodies and souls of girls who have experienced abuse. Liz herself is a survivor and now mom to two beautiful kids and a triathlete!

Athletics helped her survive and thrive and now she wants Girls with Sole to offer the same to other young girls.

I was honored to act as Mistress of Ceremonies for their first big fundraiser on Sunday.  It was held at the Busy Broad Boutique in Lakewood.  Awesome place!  Participants enjoyed a beautiful tea, fashion show, and speakers.

Liz has wasted no time in providing programming to area girls.  She’s already partnered with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and Fitworks .  If her cause speaks to you in any way, I urge you to offer your support!  Again, her website is www.girlswithsole.org.

Here’s a taste of what you missed!

Here I am with Glam Girl - Liz Ferro!

Check out that leg!

The setting was beautiful! In addition to the bar, people sat at small tables throughout the gallery. It was really a special day.

Liz Ferro of Rocky River is a Q104 listener and founder of Girls with Sole. Talk about a woman with SOUL!  She is dedicated to the idea that a girl’s life can be changed through learning about self-care, fitness, and nutrition.  Liz should know.

Her story is sad, but unfortunately, not unique.  As a foster child, she was adopted at the age of two and personally experienced sexual abuse. Liz credits athletics and fitness for giving her the self-esteem and inner strength needed throughout her life to overcome difficult times and view herself and her body as purposeful and important.

This Sunday, November 15th, Girls with Sole is hosting a fundraiser Tea and Fashion Show at Busy Broad Boutique which I am honored to host.  It starts at 3:00 and costs $25.  This is well worth your money!  Please join me in joining Liz in her efforts to turn her suffering into healing for others.

Another mom turned me on to Amy Poehler’s new website for girls called Smart Girls At The Party! If you have a daughter, you have to check this site out!  Amy and her two best friends interview and feature young girls who, “Change the world just by being themselves.”  In her typical, hysterical style Poehler manages to take sincere interest in these girls while being hilarious at the same time.

On another note - where does this woman find the time?  She’s a new mom, acts in movies, stars in a TV show AND does this?  Amazing!

Clevelanders are never short on criticism for our youth, schools, lack of morals and wise choices made by teens.  Well, here’s something to celebrate!

At a recent workshop, I met Michelle Key with the Ohio State University extension.  Her office is putting together a really awesome teen summit in downtown Cleveland for teens, by teens.  The topics are wide-ranging and sounded extremely valuable covering sex, self-esteem, relationships, cultural diversity and more.  It’s FREE and for all youth ages 13-19.  There are parent sessions too.  Here’s their website link to register.

Let’s stop complaining and get involved!  There are a number of great efforts just like this one that we can get behind and support.  If you don’t have a teen, pass the news on to someone who does.

If you’re a soccer mom or dad, please read Nine Things Parents Don’t Get About Kids and Sport. I was floored by Tip #1 “During car rides to games or practice, kids don’t want you to tell them how to do this or that. Kids are thinking or respond:  “I am not stupid,” or “I know how to play the sport I play.”

Gulp.  Guilty!  Now that our daughter is in travel soccer, we have up to an hour to discuss what she would like to improve and focus on for the day’s game.  She’s polite, but resistant.  Now, in our defense, we don’t set our agenda as hers, but merely ask her what she has chosen to focus on.  Yet, this alone appears to be a tortuous conversation for her.

Tips 2-9 are just as valuable.  If you’re a soccer parent - or parent of any other sport-kid, I’d love to her your feedback.  Do you agree with these tips?