​Organizing and taking part in community outreach initiatives is an important aspect of the Stroller Warriors® mission.  Along with running and fitness goals, Stroller Warrior chapters strive to support the local military and civilian communities through charitable events, donation drives, community clean-ups, and philanthropic engagements.


On top of the Stroller Warriors Global Outreach initiatives, several of our chapters organized outreach initiatives for numerous local causes:


Charleston:
The Stroller Warriors Charleston had the opportunity to host a resource table on two separate occasions—once at an MFLC informational event and another at a squadron family event hosted by the Logistics Readiness Squadron.  The leadership spoke about Stroller Warriors and its mission to over 300 military members, military spouses, and individuals from base supporting agencies. 
 
The chapter also organized several donation drives—collecting food items to assemble Thanksgiving meal baskets for Katie’s Krops, by making and packaging 100 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Low Country Blessing Box Project, by collecting 25 toys for Toys for Tots, and by donating over 15 dozen cookies to the Charleston Spouses Club for Operation Cookie Drop. 
 
SW Charleston also presented at a local school’s STEM team explaining the biomechanics of running, and how a runner’s kinetic energy can be used to charge small devices.
 
 
Kaneohe Bay, Pearl Harbor and Schofield Barracks:
For the past several years, the SW chapters in Hawaii have collaborated and organized a silent auction benefitting Project Hawaii— a local nonprofit that provides services to over 1600 people annually across the Big Island of Hawaii, O’ahu, and Maui.  Items for the auction were donated by chapter members, friends of SW, and local businesses.   The auction was a smashing success that raised $1,589 for Project Hawaii. 
 
Stroller Warriors Kaneohe Bay continued keeping their beloved location clean with their monthly beach clean-up events at Fort Hase.  During the November and December holiday months, the chapter organized a week-long food donation drive for the Hawaii Food Bank and a toy collection for Toys for Tots—collecting 40 canned goods and 21 toy items.  

Cherry Point:
At the end of the summer mini-miles celebration event, Stroller Warriors Cherry Point organized a book drive for Carteret Partnership for Children—a local community organization that provides free books for children and supplies doctor’s offices with free books for children.  Members donated 73 books for the cause!
Virginia Beach:
Stroller Warriors Virginia Beach organized an outreach event for We Finish Together— a nonprofit that collects donated medals and adds inspirational tags to them to each medal before delivering them to individuals in need of a reminder that we are not alone.  In total, the chapter donated 53 medals/creative tags for the organization.
 
In collaboration with November Project Virginia Beach, Team RWB Hampton Roads, and Run 757, 92 pounds of Halloween candy was donated to the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia. 
 
 
Yorktown:
In order to work with an early drop off date, Stroller Warriors Yorktown organized a December toy collection for Toys for Tots at each December workout.  Chapter members donated 25 items for Toys for Tots.  

Thank you Stroller Warriors for our commitment to putting service before self and building stronger communities!  Interested in joining?  Please visit our website or our social media page to find a Stroller Warriors chapter near you! 

Many of our Stroller Warriors® members attend base-wide informational sessions and/or post about their respective Stroller Warriors chapters on the base social media pages— spreading the word about the fun activities and dynamic Stroller Warriors community.  Recently, volunteers from Stroller Warriors Charleston were invited to talk about Stroller Warriors during a monthly spouse’s coffee.  Attendees asked the following questions about Stroller Warriors, and we thought it would be helpful to share! 

​
​1). Can my spouse and visiting family members/friends attend workouts and events with Stroller Warriors? 
 
Yes!  It is fantastic when spouses, family members, and friends attend workouts and other Stroller Warriors events.  It gives our loved ones an opportunity to experience what Stroller Warriors is all about! Just make sure they sign the waiver and photo release forms. 
 
2). What does a typical Stroller Warriors event look like? 
 
At each workout, the workout leader will begin with introductions, followed by announcements (future events taking place, charity outreach initiatives, meal trains for members currently in place, etc.).  The workout leader will explain the running portion of workout, which usually lasts anywhere between 25-45 minutes.  A quick core workout will take place shortly after everyone returns from the run.  Afterwards, members usually spend time together at the park or sometimes head out to grab lunch or coffee! Post workout time helps build community— it is a time to get to know new friends, learn about military life and the local area, and network! 
 
3). Can I attend events if I do not have children, or my children are no longer stroller age?
Absolutely— all are welcome! 
 
4). I want to run, but do not have a Stroller.  What should I do? 
 
Purchasing a jogging stroller can be expensive.  There are several options if you do not have a stroller…

• Reach out on the chapter page to find out if anyone has an extra stroller to borrow.  Several chapters may offer a stroller loaner program, so be sure to ask the chapter coordinator. 
• Many members have older kids in school, but still hang on to that double jogging stroller.  Reach out on the page and ask if anyone would be willing to bring their double stroller so that your child can ride along! 
• Take turns running, especially if there are older kids! It is difficult to load up bikes into the car.  Tag team with friends— one person stays back at the park while the other heads out for a run, then switch!

5). I usually run with my dog.  Can my dog come to a Stroller Warriors event and run with me?
 
Yes, furry friends are welcome, but be sure they are on a leash.  There are a couple of Stroller Warriors blogs about running with dogs that you may find helpful:
 
https://www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/keeping-your-dog-cool-too
 
https://www.strollerwarriors.com/blog/running-with-your-furry-friends 
 
6). What other type of activities does Stroller Warriors organize other than running? 
First and foremost, Stroller Warriors is a running group; however, each chapter organizes various volunteer opportunities, social gatherings, mini warriors sessions, warrior nights out, coffee dates, book clubs, etc.  There truly is something for everyone! 
 
7). Is Stroller Warriors singular to my base?
Stroller Warriors is a global organization with over 40 active chapters, one of which is our virtual chapter, Stroller Warriors Elsewhere!  Please visit our website for a list of chapters:
https://www.strollerwarriors.com/chapters.html
 
8). I want to volunteer, but do not want to be a workout leader or coordinator.  Can I still volunteer with Stroller Warriors? 
 
Absolutely!  Chapter Coordinators are always looking for volunteers to aid with social media, organize social and community outreach events, arrange summer mini warriors sessions, manage the yearly running initiative, and much more!  

9). How much does it cost to join? 

Nothing!  Stroller Warriors is a FREE running club for military spouses and their families!
​

If you're interested in Stroller Warriors, please reach out to a local chapter!!  Happy Running :)

It had been a fun holiday break filled with Stroller Warrior events, time with family at home, cooking, baking, and hiking.  After 2 weeks off, everyone was back to school and/or work just a day or 2 after ringing in the New Year.  My children were excited to go back to school and to see their friends, but they also wished for more time so that they could attend more Stroller Warrior workouts with me.  Stroller Warriors played a part in their school breaks beginning in 2014 at Ramstein, and they still do!
​ 
 
Their first week of school break started with Stroller Warriors— the kids crashing the tail end of the Stroller Warriors Charleston holiday gathering after I picked them up on their last day before break.  My youngest was thrilled to see her mini warrior friends as she proudly helped them up and down stairs and picnic table benches, while my older 2 grabbed some ornament crafts!  At our last Monday workout of the year, SW members watched my kids as they created sand angles at the playground and tossed “sand balls” at each other in lieu of snowballs.  In return, the kids watched and cheered as the adults chipped away at a “12 Days of Christmas” themed workout.  When the weather turned wet and the workout moved indoors to the base gym, the kids happily played basketball and enjoyed intermittently running a lap, or sprinting out a shuttle run.  Stroller Warrior friends didn’t think twice about letting my kids partake in a workout in the family room in the base gym—allowing my kids to rotate turns on the elliptical, stair stepper, and recumbent bike.  These were all happy holiday memories made before 2022’s end, thanks to Stroller Warriors!  

​On the drive to school, I asked my kids what they loved so much about Stroller Warriors.  Here are their responses:
 

• “I get to be with my mom, and I can play with people [mentioning specific names].  I like to exercise.  I like to hug my mini warrior friends”.

 

• “We can go to parks.  My favorite exercise to do at Stroller Warriors is jumping jacks and I like to run laps around the basketball court.  I miss being able to scooter with you [mom] when you run”.

 

• “I like going to Stroller Warriors because it keeps me active when I am not at school.  I miss not being able to go all of the time because I miss out on going to all of the fun parks”. 

 
 
I’m delighted to share these Stroller Warrior moments with my kids, especially because I know as they get older these moments will be few and far between.  What do your children love most about Stroller Warriors?