SARASOTA – Hundreds gathered at the inaugural SAFE Day event at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. The goal to educate the public on staying save and defending themselves.
“My passion for protecting people led me to put people together for S.A.F.E Day,”said Derrick Clark, S.A.F.E. Day Chief Organizer
Clark put together the first safety and self-defense event gathering all first responders from Sarasota County.
“There’s no real thing out there for people to come together. Usually it’s a specialty division. This is really a one of its kind, where everything comes over .Anything safety related is in one place,” he says.
Clark has been teaching Karate and self-defense for more than 20 years. He says learning how to protect yourself is important – no matter the age. “Everyone regardless of age race or whatever, needs to have a planned SAFE Day for their family,” said Clark.
Self-defense demonstrations were available for kids amongst other lessons. “They’re taught distancing, stranger danger, away from your boundaries, keeping your guard up,” he says.
For the older crowd awareness and self-defense was the key message.
“It’s important for all ages especially older ages, teenagers, especially girls going to school going to college and beyond. You’re your first responder in a violent attack,” said Clark.
Clark says his goal is for everyone attending to walk away with a basic understanding of self-defense. “Self-defense is so important, it goes beyond just the physical part, it’s the awareness, it’s situational. There’s all kind of factors and little things in between.”
