By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kiwanis Club in St. Joseph along with the Ali Kemp Foundation are helping women of all ages be prepared to protect themselves against the worst.
Club member Bobbie Cronk says the classes through the foundation were a response from the family of Ali Kemp, a woman from Kansas City who was murdered.
Cronk says the classes teaches ways to defend yourself when needed and general awareness
"It's just a really simple way to gain awareness about how to keep yourself safe and how to stay safe if you're ever in that unfortunate situation where you have to defend yourself," Cronk tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Cronk says the classes are open to both women and girls
"Really anywhere from 13 years old all the way up to really 100, we actually have someone who is in their 80's that signed up to be with us Saturday morning," Cronk says.
Cronk says one of the important factors the class stresses for younger girls is the importance of listening to your parents and letting them know where you'll be
"Something as simple as making sure that your parents know you're going to be at Suzy's house and then following up on that and actually being at that place," Cronk explains. "So, a lot of it relates to anyone but she does focus as well on the younger participants."
Cronk says the reception for the classes has been great every year, which is why the club continues to provide them
"It's something where people are interested in learning the information and she covers a broad range of information about how to keep yourself safe as well as how to defend yourself," Cronk says. "So, there's some physical defense involved but a lot of it is something you can kind of do at your own level and your own pace, and it's just some good things to be aware of."
The class will take place from 10am to noon with doors opening at 9:30am at the Brookdale Student Ministry building in St. Joseph at 3501 Felix Street.