Sex crime survivor founds Gray race, seeks community awareness

Years passed before Alicia Gregory sought out counseling for the molestation she suffered as a young girl.

The California native struggled in college, making poor decisions.

"It was piling up," said Gregory, now 40. "I knew it was either get into treatment or I was going to be dead."

The help she received set Gregory on a path to become a mental health counselor. She moved to Gray with her husband, a Georgia College & State University professor, in 2002.

Runners and walkers alike are set to participate in the Phoenix Rising 5K and Fun Run in Gray on Saturday, an event Gregory founded in 2013 to "give back" to other sex crime survivors and raise money for Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia.

(The Telegraph's policy is not to name victims of sex crimes, but Gregory agreed for her name to be printed. She also has written about her past in a publicly available blog.)

The race and other events are set to begin at Gregory's office, Reflections Psychotherapy, at 183 W. Clinton St. in Gray.

A bounce house for children will be available beginning at 5 p.m. along with live music and a "not so silent" auction featuring a Jason Aldean-signed guitar and other items.

The race will begin at 6 p.m., with runners and walkers making their way to Jones County High School and then heading back to Gregory's office. Activities will end at nightfall.

Last year's race drew more than 100 runners and raised about $15,000, said Dottie Stafford, Crisis Line's sexual assault advocacy program director.

Money raised from past races has helped the organization hire a staff member and buy clothing for sexual assault victims to wear home from the hospital after their clothes are taken as evidence, Stafford said.

About 40 volunteers are set to work at Saturday's race.

Admission to the event is free, but a $1 donation is requested for trips in and out of the bounce house. Runners must pay a $20 registration fee.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitter@awomackmacon.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Sex crime survivor founds Gray race, seeks community awareness ."