THE HERE AND NOW

"The #time is #now and the place is #here" "La hora es el #ahora y el lugar es #aquí" Socrates from Way of the Peaceful Warrior #outerstrength

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Sep 8, 2015 at 11:13am PDT

The fall has arrive and with it a new school year which means  another opportunity to help our kids at the ITA after school program. This school year Immigration Resource Center along with Tierra Nueva apartments will continue  to be by our side. The Immigrant Resource will continue to provide snacks for our kids along with the help of Laura and Elsa.This will be Laura's second year and Elsa's first. We all get very excited when we get to have new volunteers come and help us. So if you are reading this and live in the area and would like to volunteer, know you or anyone else you might know are welcome.

After several attempts, she is mastering the game. No body matters more than our kids.. Thanks @amoryrowe @dsalem1956 Thea & Torin. Our @inthearena_team in Alamosa continues to enjoy the gifts. #makesomethingtodayimpacttomorrow #makeadifference #madetolast Después de varios intentos, esta dominando el juego. Nadie es más importante que nuestros niños.. Gracias Amory, David, Thea and Torin. Nuestros niños continúan disfrutando de sus regalos.

A video posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Sep 24, 2015 at 8:41am PDT

Tierra Nueva Apartments will continue to let us use the community room.
Also, I want to thank Steve from the Alamosa Quiropractic center for donating school supplies for the third consecutive year. Steve is constantly asking how he could help.

My sister Norma has also agreed to continue to help and supervise the times I have to travel for an speaking engagement, competition or training. A huge relieve as the program will roll all year around.

When and Where

Monday-Thursdays at 4:30pm

600 South Craft

Community Room

This would not work out if we did not have the main ingredient, our kids. The need still there and our kids love coming to the after school program to either do homework, help others with homework, help organize or implement an idea.

This is #HowWeCelebrate when #homeworkisdone. Enjoying some of the presents @inthearena_team @amoryrowe @dsalem1956 Thea and Torin brought to us this summer.. #Jumpingrope is good for the #soul and #heart #letsmove #givemefive Así festejamos que terminamos la tarea.. Disfrutando de algunos de los regalos que nos dieron Amory, David, Thea y Torin este verano. Brincar la cuerda es bueno para el corazón y el alma #muevete #damecinco #makesomethingtodayimpacttomorrow #memories #madetolast #hazalgohoyimpactamañana #memorias #hechoparaqueperdure #HowWeBean @llbean

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Sep 17, 2015 at 9:37pm PDT

Just last week, 5th grader Jessica, spent an hour organizing our library and a week later she started a new program of her own called, Art Class with Jessica. I loved the concept. Once a kid is done with homework they can go with Jessica and ask her for a drawing (made from scratch  by her) to color. Jessica then becomes Miss Tomas Lopez. I already have my first drawing up in my refrigerator.

The roles were switched.. Tutors got to color different drawings from Misses Tomas Lopez at the @inthearena_team art class during the after school program.. Here mine! Y que se cambian los papeles.. A los tutores nos toco colorear diferentes dibujos de la señorita Tomas Lopez en su clase de arte después de la escuela..Aquí el mio #madetolast #makesomethingtodayimpacttomorrow #hechoparaqueperdure #hazalgohoyimpactamañana #HowWeBean #WeAreInTheArena #SomosInTheArena

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Sep 9, 2015 at 9:55pm PDT

We also added, therapy sessions done by 8th grader, Araceli. She wants to be a psychologist and asked if she could start giving us some counseling sessions. I already had two sessions of 20 and 15 minutes each and let me tell you. She will be good at it. Here Araceli  gets to learn about ethics and confidentiality and we the clients about trust.  She already has 5 clients including myself. The other good thing about this sessions is that they are FREE!

Can't help but smile as I type this. My girls are growing, learning and starting to visualize and see themselves succeeding in the future. Many many things to be proud of and many more work to be done.
 

Next week, I will be heading to San Jose to run the RocknRoll San Jose Half. Training has gone well. I look forward to compete and challenge myself physically and mentally. After that, the plan is to spend a couple of weeks training  at sea level with my sister Alicia in Oklahoma.

Looking forward to make the best of this new opportunity, see how my body responds and practice the here and now..

I am more than grateful to be able to workout everyday. Never imagined 2km repeats would ever felt like an indulgence. Loving each mile at a time... Happy me = Happy mentor = Happy kids..

Like a round circle where we all win!

A photo posted by Zoila Gomez😊 (@zoilagomezita) on Sep 8, 2015 at 11:39pm PDT

2015 Run With ITA: A Wrap Up!

The Run With ITA program  became more than just a program.. Its the root of long lasting positive relationships for all of those involved. Each day we met, it left us with a positive story or a life changing event. After each session, I would always go home with a huge smile on my face.













This year we had more guest than ever. Our kids loved that. Then enjoyed getting to know them. The part than I was most proud about was that we all enjoyed our program. At the end the program was ours. Every kids contributed  with new ideas and ways to keep it interesting and alive. Pictures, manicures, bike rides, new loops, etc.  Many of the mothers got more involved and even participated with us in some of the running events. It was so much fun and very touching to see them play tag with their own kids. To hear a kid say something like "Did you see that, my mom is fast" both the action and the fact are priceless.

At times one can easily think kids are hard to deal with or they dont listen. Well, our ITA kids have proved that to be wrong. Once you give a kid respect and attention, they will have apositive response by making it easier for you to deal with tem and listen to you. After our nutrition classes from last years program, I could tell the kids were more open to try new snacks = zero complains. One time, I had this crazy idea in y mind that bananas for snack was going to be a complete failure. I was prepared to go back home with lots of bananas. To my surprise, bananas were a hit. Kids loved them. Then, I it all made sence. After a nice afternoon of excersice, its very hard to deny a healthy snack. A fact:  Kids can teach and they teach you well.



I could go on and on about the Run With ITA summer program.. Instead, be the judge, click HERE and let us know what you think and what is it that you see. Hope it inspires you to make a movement and do something similar and create a Run with your family or your community program where ever you might be.