Nine area communities were given recognition as Purple Ribbon Communities from A Safe Place/Lake County Crisis Center at the nonprofit agency’s 25^th Anniversary Annual Meeting October 17. Communities receiving plaques of honor this year included Village of Grayslake , Village of Gurnee , City of Highland Park , City of Lake Forest , Village of Libertyville , Village of Lincolnshire , Village of Mundelein , City of Waukegan , and the City of Zion.

The Purple Ribbon Community award was established by A Safe Place several years ago as the agency serving survivors of domestic violence intensified its efforts to collaborate with multiple facets within the communities of Lake County to eliminate domestic violence.   The award reflects numerous activities within a community and may include domestic violence awareness training with local law enforcement, health care providers and social workers, interactive prevention education programs presented by A Safe Place to middle school and high school students and educators that are designed to teach adolescents about healthy dating relationships, as well as involvement of local civic and faith communities and local health care providers establishing protocols to identify and refer victims of domestic violence for services.

“Most importantly,” noted A Safe Place’s Board President Joan Gilmore in announcing the awards, “this award reflects the commitment of (a community’s) governing board to urge that its citizenry be informed about domestic violence issues and to support services for its victims.”

A Safe Place’s community outreach, education and training programs reached more than 13,000 residents in Lake County last year. Anyone interested in scheduling an informational program for a civic organization, a professional training program, or an interactive program on healthy relationships for middle school or high school-age groups may call the agency’s Community Outreach and Prevention Education program at 847.249.5147.