RIBBON CUTTING AND GRAND OPENING SET FOR THE RENAISSANCE ACADEMY OF MARTIAL ARTS IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BUILDING

Please join the Renaissance Academy of Martial Arts (RAM), Lynch's Landing and Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster for a ribbon cutting at 1209 Commerce Street at Noon on Friday, March 5. Light refreshments will be served and tours are available.

The circa 1907 building at 1209 Commerce St. has gone through a complete makeover and is now home to RAM's 6,000 square foot martial arts training school for kids, adults and a number of Central Virginia's amateur MMA fighters.

"The downtown location offers even more opportunities for the whole family to get involved in the mixed martial arts," RAM owner, Jamie Ridgeway, said.

This new location offers:

• Kid's Karate and Lil' Dragons
• Women's classes, including Kettlebell training with RKC certified instructor, Jill Stroud
• Thai Kickboxing
• Gracie Jui Jitsu
• Krav Maga
• Self-Protection training
• A sauna for MMA fighters
• Lounge area with flat screen TVs
• Pro shop with MMA gear for sale

The Grand Opening of RAM will be held on Saturday, March 6, at 10 a.m. Specials, discounts and freebies include:

WEC fighter Mackens Semerizer hosts a free MMA seminar onsite

Free Self-Defense clinics offered throughout the day

A kid's Kick-a-Thon to raise support for St. Jude (winner receives a Nintendo Wii.)

10% off new sign-ups

Waived new member fee

50% off all gear

For more information about RAM, visit www.ramarts.com. All media is invited for a tour and interviews at this new downtown business. Please direct all media inquiries to Johanna Calfee.