This year has been full of personal milestones, and I invite you to help me celebrate them!   First, I turned 60 years old!  For thirty of those sixty years, I have found fulfulment in learning, practicing and teaching Seido Karate at the Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center, NFP.  And on April 4th, I earned my 6th degree black belt!  So I have a lot to be thankful for and to celebrate this year.   I hope you will join me in supporting this amazing organization, that has enriched and transformed the lives of so many people over the last thirty years.

The money raised during  our "Spirit Challenge" fundraiser supports scholarships for those who cannot afford tuition for our school, violence prevention programs throughout the city, and the Adapted Seido Karate program for children with disabilities.  

All Thousand Waves programs are open to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. One of the main uses for funds raised during Spirit Challenge is the TW Scholarship Fund. Last year the TW Scholarship Fund provided over $42,000 in tuition assistance to kids and adults of all ages who otherwise would not benefit from karate or self-defense training. The Scholarship Fund also enables TW staff and volunteers to bring the tools of violence prevention and personal empowerment to schools, girl scout troops, other non-profits, businesses and government agencies in diverse communities throughout the Chicago area. 

A special program run by Thousand Waves is the Adapted Seido Karate program for children with disabilities. Disabled kids are more likely than others to be targeted for violence and abuse, so karate training and verbal self-defense is especially important for them.  The ASK kids love karate, and their non-quitting spirit is so inspiring! All of them train in karate for free, thanks to the TW Scholarship Fund.   (Here is a link to a YouTube video about the ASK program:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9neJnRjY9c).

Please help me reach my goal.