Hello Friends and Family!

I'm raising $500 for Thousand Waves! Would you please help me reach my goal? 

It’s Spirit Challenge time again! And this year is a very special year! Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center is celebrating its 30-year anniversary! Can you help me raise $500 in honor of this incredible organization?

As most of you know, Thousand Waves is a place, which has become incredibly important in my life over the past six years. This year has been a particular exciting year since I tested for my second-degree black belt.  A lot of preparation went into it.  Unlike my first-degree black belt test that was held at my dojo I had to make the journey to New York for this test.  It was very exciting and very grueling.  The test lasted 12 hours.  I still can’t believe I did that. This dojo is like no other that I have ever experienced. The people I train with are amazing and the instructors are very adept and truly care about the art.

What you may not know is that Thousand Waves is much more than a Karate school. Thousand Waves is a non-for-profit dedicated to the fostering of "fitness, healing, empowerment and peacemaking by promoting healthy minds and bodies through violence prevention, self-defense and traditional martial arts programs for adults and children of all ages." What really makes Thousand Waves special is its mission to provide critical self-defense and violence prevention programs to underserved individuals and communities at low or no cost.

Spirit Challenge is our annual spring fundraising event. It offers Thousand Waves members (like me) the opportunity to take on both physical and "fiscal" challenges in support of Thousand Waves. We sign on for athletic challenges and set a fundraising goal for ourselves. We train for the events we will be entering and solicit pledges from our dear family, friends and colleagues. 

The funds we raise (the 2015 goal is $75,000) support the following:

Our outreach Violence Prevention work extends our reach far beyond our Center’s walls, impacting lives all over Chicago. These programs teach a practical, principled approach that works for people across what we refer to as “the spectrum of violence.”  We offer tools for use in situations ranging from irritating to hurtful to dangerous, and on up to life-threatening.  From domestic violence to street harassment, our programs provide principles to help people take action that will make them safer.

Additionally, the Adapted Seido Karate (ASK) program enables children with disabilities to train karate for free. We teach the kids karate, because we believe that whatever body you have, you can improve it.  I serve as an ASK volunteer and spend a few hours on Sunday working with the students one-on-one. They are truly amazing and inspiring, and the smiles on their faces make me feel like anything is possible. You can see the kids in action in a short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9neJnRjY9c

Finally, we offer a scholarship program that ensures that anyone who would like to participate in Thousand Waves programming can do so, regardless of financial situation. Here is a video in which our training members say thank you to those who have supported this vital program (you might recognize the curly girl in the opening): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqR62vLa3xg

None of these programs would be possible without the efforts of the Thousand Waves community and the generous support of our family, friends, and colleagues. That is why I’m reaching out to ask you to support my school. We’re in the middle of our major annual fundraiser – Spirit Challenge – when we all get together to fundraise for our vital programs around a series of athletic challenge events.

This week, I will be taking on both physical and “fiscal” challenges in support of the important mission-driven work of Thousand Waves, and I need your help.

During Spirit Challenge week, I’ll be giving it my all in events such as synchronized kata (choreographed forms), a board-breaking challenge, fitness challenges, and sparring.   

Help me reach my $500 goal!

Please join me in supporting Thousand Waves with a Spirit Challenge gift today!

If you cannot give any financial support, that’s no problem whatsoever–but please feel free to send me words of encouragement! That will also mean a lot to me. I appreciate you reading this far. I know how many emails you get soliciting donations for really good causes. I know sometimes it's easy to lose track before you've had a chance to decide. As the event gets closer, I will send out another email reminder or two.

Thank you for your thoughts and your support of this amazing community of peace-promoting people!

With love and gratitude,

Shelby

If you’d like to mail a check, make it out to Thousand Waves and write my name and “Spirit Challenge” in the memo line.

The address is:

Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self Defense Center

1220 W. Belmont

Chicago, IL 60657