On April 25, 2009, thousands of people will take a Two-Mile High Stand Against Sexual Assault®. At dozens of sky dive facilities (“drop zones”) across the country, they'll take to the sky and jump. It's all part of Operation Freefall®, the boldest, highest-altitude and most daring event organized to put an end to sexual assault.

Operation Freefall was born in 2001 when, on the anniversary of her rape, Speaking Out About Rape, Inc. (SOAR^®) founder, Kellie Greene, made her first skydive. In doing so, she successfully reclaimed the day that had been taken from her, reviving her own courageous spirit and turning what had been a dreaded annual memorial into a keenly anticipated celebration.

Operation Freefall is the only event of its kind to increase awareness of sexual violence. The event is held simultaneously across the country on the last Saturday of each April. Originally, Operation Freefall began as a modest effort to bring attention to sexual violence, but over the years it has blossomed into a massive fundraising and awareness-raising event benefiting not only SOAR, but local community-based anti-sexual violence organizations as well.  In the past eight years, Operation Freefall has raised over $1,000,000 with nearly two-thirds of that going back to local community organizations. These funds are used to:

• Enhance local support and outreach services for survivors of sexual violence.

• Extend efforts to provide recovery, risk-reduction, and prosecution information to tens of millions of people, including in your local community, each year.

• Enhance SOAR’s programs to empower victims of sexual violence through the healing process.

• Expand SOAR’s programs to educate lawmakers, police officers, students, the public, and the media about sexual violence.

The FBI categorizes rape as the second most violent crime a person can experience, second only to murder.  To put it another way, it’s the most violent and traumatic crime any victim lives to remember.  Every two minutes, another American is sexually assaulted.  It is the most under-reported of all crimes in the United States.  One in six women and one in 33 men have experienced sexual assault.  Sexual violence affect all of us.  That is why I’ve committed myself to this event.

You don't need to be an experienced skydiver to participate. In fact, most people are first-timers. No advance training is required. You make a "tandem" skydive attached to a United States Parachute Association licensed tandem master. Your participation fee includes everything needed for a tandem jump: instruction and/or training, tandem skydive, plus a souvenir DVD to give you a permanent memento of this exciting experience!

Click for Registration, general information, and opportunities for local anti-sexual violence organizations or contact SOAR at 407-898-0693 or jump@operationfreefall.com.

I hope you'll share in this incredible adventure by supporting my fundraising efforts.  If you would prefer to make a donation by check (made payable to Operation Freefall), please contact me at tpsmraines@yahoo.com for a pledge form and the mailing address. 

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

And, of course, if you want to jump, too, check out www.operationfreefall.com!

Blue Skies,
Stefanie