Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - After a woman was attacked while jogging in Haile Plantation in May, the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center's (GHFC) Women's Center recognized that many Gainesville residents were needing to take action. Shelly Barbic and the staff at the GHFC Women's Center decided to provide a self-defense class open to women and girls in the community, not just members of GHFC, and they wanted the money raised during the class to go to the Alachua County Victim Services & Rape Crisis Center (VS&RCC).

Three classes have been offered so far, and the last class is scheduled for August 23.  The $10 fee for the class will be donated to the Alachua County VS&RCC.

The Alachua County VS&RCC congratulates the staff at GHFC Women's Center on the work they are doing to empower the community and raise awareness on safety, and they send sincere appreciation for the donation to their agency. So far, the GHFC Women's Center has raised over $800 for the Alachua County VS&RCC.

The Alachua County Victim Services & Rape Crisis Center has been helping victims of crime since 1977. The agency offers a range of free and confidential services with an emphasis on supporting the victim's full recovery. The donations made to the agency will go to fund medical exams for survivors of sexual assault, support groups for children and adult rape victims, non-traditional services that are not covered by victim's compensation, and violence prevention programs.

For more information, or to register for the self-defense class, call the Gainesville Health & Fitness Center's Women's Center at 352-374-4634.