Each season, the Cornfed Derby Dames choose a local charity to support both monetarily and through various volunteer activities. A portion of each home bout’s proceeds are set aside and donated to that chosen non-profit organization.
For Season 6, the dames have chosen to work with For Girls by Girls Inc., a non-profit organization, based in Muncie, which was formed in June 2007. The mission of the organization is to embrace, educate, empower, and encourage the lives of young girls, ages 7 – 17. They encourage girls to be comfortable in their own skin through intergenerational mentorship. Their free summer mentor program lasts for six weeks during the summer and averages around 60 participants.
We feel that For Girls by Girls’ mission matches with roller derby’s general philosophy of inclusion and empowerment. One of the amazing things about roller derby is the inclusion of women from all walks of life and backgrounds. All body types and sizes are welcome in roller derby, which is a very powerful message we can share with young women today. In a world where young girls are inundated with a skinny and diet obsessed media, we can spread the incredibly important message of how important it is to be comfortable in your own skin.
If you’d like more information on the wonderful work that For Girls by Girls does in the Muncie community, or if you’re interested in mentoring or donating, visit their website.