Above: Girls Gotta Run Foundation exhibition at Phoenix
Gallery in New York (Photo by Susan Liebold).

Tadias Magazine
Updated: July 13th, 2009

Publisher’s Note

New York (Tadias) – Dr. Patricia E. Ortman, a retired Women’s Studies Professor and an artist, is the director of Girls Gotta Run Foundation. The group held an exhibition last week at Phoenix Gallery in New York titled Shoes, Shoes, Shoes. The objective of the show was to raise funds to buy athletic shoes for Ethiopian girls to support their participation in sports and help them continue their formal education.

Although seven of the top-ten earning athletes in Ethiopia are women, the nation’s girls’ enrollment in school is among the lowest in the world. Many girls and their parents have begun to see careers as professional runners as viable options. Many who train in order to stay in school and keep their options open, can, with the help of caring others, overcome many of the obstacles in their way.

The exhibit is on display and art for sale through September 29 and gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:30 – 6 p.m.

The following is Pat’s journal.

By Patricia E. Ortman

On Tuesday afternoon, Beth Cartland, Jim and I met at the Gallery to unwrap art and hang the exhibit. Along with Linda Handler, the Gallery Director, we tested and tried and eventually arrived at what we believed to be a lovely configuration of the pieces, all the while being shadowed by our filmmakers Andy and Nick. Beth, Jim and I were still there when everyone else left about 6:30 or so but finally called it a day around 7:15 ourselves, agreeing to meet when the Gallery opened again at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to finish off all of the assorted odds and ends that inevitably accompany such a venture. So Wednesday found us again at the Gallery until about 2:30 or 3:00, at which time we could finally say “Fini!”

Photo by Susan Liebold

On Thursday evening, we arrived at the Gallery almost half an hour early to find guests, including Westchester Track Club Founder/Coach Mike Barnow and several Ethiopian members of the Club, already there. It was a whirlwind of activity from then until after 8 p.m. when guests were literally shooed out of the building in order to close it.

Other guests in attendance included Adrienne Wald, the WTC Club’s Newletter Editor in Chief, who arrived shortly after Coach Mike with several more Club members and additional friends; New York participating photographers Susan Liebold and Leah Beth Goodman, Leah bringing a crowd of Goodman family and friends; Lauren Mills, a NYC artist newcomer to GGRF; DC artists Jane Pettit, Gail Rebhan, and Joyce Ellen Weinstein.

Runners from Ethiopia were especially excited to speak with Susan about her photos of Ethiopian girls.

Altogether I would judge we had about 50 people come specifically for our exhibit. But it’s hard to say because there were several other openings in the building, two in the same gallery, and some people who had come for those also stopped in to see ours. So, we sold four pieces and continued to expand the universe of people who know about the cause.

“The opening’s success was a tribute to all your hard work. Enjoying it was delightful!” —Participating Artist Jane Pettit

“The opening was fantastic and I’m confident we’ll help raise lots of money to buy running shoes for the girls of Ethiopia.” —Participating Photographer Leah Beth Goodman

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Photo by Susan Liebold

Learn more about the foundation at: girlsgottarun.org

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