The 4th annual Okotoks Women’s Convention and Trade Fair on Sept. 28 is taking empowering women to a new level with a self-defence workshop.
Co-hosted by Calgary’s Safe 4 Life, the Women’s Self Defense Workshop will start at 2:30 p.m. on the main stage at the Foothills Centennial Centre.
“We thought this would be a really great and inexpensive way for women in Okotoks to jump in on a mini class, to sort of get a feel for the techniques,” said Kendra Kane, co-founder of the Cochrane Women’s Convention and Trade Fair.
Kane said that, with bullying on the rise in addition to the every-day risks women face, the inspiration behind hosting the workshop was to empower women, young and old.
“We felt that just knowing a few techniques—doesn’t mean that you’re going to use them—builds your self-confidence,” she said. “Just knowing that you have a bit of an advantage in those situations was where we wanted to reflect on this.”
In addition to providing a service for women, Kane said the classes are a lot of fun. The workshop will be hands-on, with Safe 4 Life’s Blue Man—a man in padded gear—providing participants the opportunity to practice the maneuvers on a real person.
One of Kane’s hopes is that the workshop will help to challenge the idea that to be women means to be vulnerable.
“Women feel vulnerable because we’re women, but we don’t have to be,” she said. “As women we’re allowed to be feminine, we’re allowed to be nurturing, but do we have to be vulnerable?
“Do we have to have low self-esteem when it comes to a situation where our safety is at risk? I don’t think so.”
She said self defense classes like the Safe 4 Life workshop give participants the advantage of knowing they can defend themselves.
The Okotoks Women's Convention and Trade Fair is 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Foothills Centennial Centre, and will feature over 50 exhibits, live demos, networking opportunities and more.
Also on the main stage earlier in the day will be a presentation by Kelsey Neal on Pursuing Dreams Versus Self-Doubts starting at 10:30 a.m., and the Wow! Women of Inspiration panel and business networking mixer, starting at noon.
Tickets for the self-defence workshop are $25 for adults and include the $5 admission to the Convention and Trade Fair.
With only 26 spots available in the workshop, Kane recommends purchasing tickets in advance.
Tickets for the workshop can be purchased online at showpass.com/safe4lifeokotoks, or at the door if spaces are available.
Mom and Daughter Promotion
The Women’s Convention and Trade Fair is running a special Mom and Daughter promotion for OkotoksToday/Western Wheel readers, offering free admission to the Women’s Self Defense Workshop for teens.
Just show your ticket for the workshop at the door and mention reading about it on OkotoksToday.ca or in the Western Wheel newspaper to score free admission for your teen.
