Break-A-Thon for Japan Relief

Let’s break a little to heal a lot.

$20 per board.  100% of proceeds going to Red Cross Relief in Japan.

Japan Relief Fundraiser Event

Shocked by the earthquake, devestated by the ensuing Tsunami.  We along with the rest of the world sat stunned by the destruction Mother Nature had in store for the people of Japan.  At Il-Do Taekwondo, we have a number of international students and several that have family and friends from Japan.  We’re used to helping out the community on both a large and individual basis but we were not ready for the photos of those in need peppered throughout the media.  The head of our organization, Grandmaster Chang Jin Kang posed the question to us, “What can we do?”  For most immigrant asians from his generation, Japan’s history presents memories that are sometimes hard to re-visit, but Grandmaster reminded us that this was simply about people helping people in need.  We wanted to create an event that could help bring awareness to our students and help strengthen the foundation of sympathy and the reward of charity.

This May on the 7th, Il-Do Taekwondo is holding their annual tournament where our students get a chance to try out all the things they have been practicing and perfecting over the past year.  Self defense choreography, sparring with their peers, testing your techniques against the stregth of the pine boards being held in front of you.  Satisfaction achieved from not only completing your event but gauging it against your fellow classmates for medals.  This year we wanted to add something to that special day…fundraiser.  But what?  Breakathon 2011!  Il-Do Taekwondo is committed to raising money for the people of Japan and what better way than to have our students participate in a fun way.  The Plan, to have 300 boards available to our students and their family and friends to break.  Each board will be specially marked to commemorate the day and have space for the eventual “destructor” to write down a bad habit they want to “break” for the fundraiser.  “I will break my habit of too much candy…Yah!”, ” I will break my habit of too much TV…Yah!”  Markers will be provided upon purchasing your board for breaking so you can personalize each with a habit to defeat.  Each board will be available for your $20 donation and yours to keep upon shattering to remember the day.  Our goal is to raise between $5000 to $6000 for the Japan Relief.  We will donate 100% of all donations to this effort and we ask that everyone participate.  Can you break more than one board?  Go for it!  We can definitely show you how.  We are excited about our fundraiser event and what we might be able to accomplish that day with the help of our students and friends.

Even if you are not a student or know someone from our school, mark your calendars.  Saturday, May 7th, at the Crean Lutheran South High School Gymnasium 9:30 am and 1:30pm.  We will have two board breaking sessions for you to get involved.  A much better alternative than dropping your donation in a slotted box.  Come break something and help those in need.  We’ll see you there.  For more information please visit our website at www.ildotkd.com or call one of three locations in Irvine.

By MICHELLE PHILLIPS The Orange County Register

Watch out, Jackie Chan: Four local moms have banded together to form a tae kwon do group in Woodbury, under the instruction of Master Doug Wong. These women have dedicated themselves to training three times a week for until they earn their black belts.

Lisa Geffeney, Vivian Sellwood, Kristi Bednar and Eda Wong met each other through the Elite Fitness program about three years ago. The women’s children and three husbands have been involved with the program for several years, Geffeney said, which inspired the mothers to join. Article Tab : Lisa Geffeney knee-kicks a dummy during her tae kwon do class at Elite Fitness Taekwondo in Irvine. A group of mothers pledged to their husbands and children they would pursue black belts. Lisa Geffeney knee-kicks a dummy during her tae kwon do class at Elite Fitness Taekwondo in Irvine. A group of mothers pledged to their husbands and children they would pursue black belts.

“I would like to find out why my son gets so excited about his tae kwon do class every time,” Wong said. For her family, the tae kwon do classes have helped their transition to California from New York over the past few years. If she, as the mother joins, Wong said, she feels that she will be able to connect more with the community and her family.

None of the four women had ever received tae kwon do instruction or undertaken any similar commitment before this, each said. The four are determined, however, to get into shape and earn a black belt. All are between the ages of 36 and 42.

“We’re going to have to start from the beginning,” Wong said.

Tae kwon do is a Korean martial art form, and so the women will be learning a “different language,” Wong said.

“It’s now ballooned into a contest of who’s going to drop first,” said David Geffeney, Lisa’s husband.The class the women have signed up for will require them to meet and train every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for 2 ? years before attaining a black belt.

“I needed something that would call me out every week, something I could commit to,” Bednar said. She has seen others, including her 7-year-old son, develop a love for tae kwon do, and she knows it will be beneficial to her health. The commitment, however, is “easier when you have friends with you.”

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll keep it up,” Master Wong said, who is, in fact, Eda Wong’s husband. He confesses that it has been a different experience teaching the wives of his instructors and his own wife. But in terms of ability, he is confident that they will be able to achieve their goal.

After their first week in tae kwon do instruction the four women said they plan to start with getting back into shape and simple training. Lisa Geffeney describes the whole process as “jumping in and joining the family.”

The women start out with the white belt, Geffeney said, and then persevere as each level “grows in complexity and challenges.” As she and her friends continue to progress in their training, Geffeney hopes to get in shape and, even more, to be introduced to the culture of martial arts, she said.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” Bednar said. “It’s definitely out of my comfort zone, but I am looking forward to it.”

Before this, Bednar remembers taking only dancing and cooking classes. Wong took one aerobics class in New York but, she said, she couldn’t keep up.

“So what’s given me the drive to participate in this Tae kwon do club?” Wong said the women will spur one another on, in the spirit of “if she’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

Bednar said tae kwon do is a good way for all moms to feel positive about themselves.

“We’re calling on all moms to try this out,” she said.