Kicking it for a purpose
By Patrick LoweLouisville, Kentucky
Grand Master Jung Oh Hwang and the students of Hwang’s Martial Arts brought the internationally-acclaimed Yong In University Tae Kwon Do Demonstration Team to Louisville as part of a fund raiser for Wayside Christian Mission, with a goal to raise $10,000 and collect 200 six-pound cans of food. Over 2000 people attended the program on Sunday, July 26 at Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall. Demonstrations by graduating students from Hwang’s Martial Arts three summer camps opened the program, followed by Demonstration Teams from each of the four Louisville campuses. Each demonstration featured choreographed martial arts skills, as well as free-form movements. The Yong In team capped the afternoon with a high-flying display of board-breaking, kicking techniques, and tightly-synchronized forms.
When asked what they thought about the Yong In Demonstration, students replied:
“It was like they were flying!” exclaimed Charlie Klapp, a four-year-old student from the Summer Camp Program.
“Cool!” — Grace Hedges, age 6.
“It was just like in the movies, only this was real!” — Victoria Harris, age 8.
“It was just amazing how he jumped off another student and flipped upside down and kicked the confetti ball 15 feet off the floor!” — Alex Lowe, age 11.
“Instructor Han kicked an apple off of the sharp sword … Blind-folded!” Griffin Kirsch, age 9. (Instructor Han leads the St. Matthews campus and was Captain of the Yong In Demonstration Team.)
The afternoon was about much more than just kicking, punching, and breaking boards. Wayside Christian Mission is a Louisville organization that provides shelter to over 550 of the area’s homeless and providing 2500 meals each day. “We learned about kids, right here in Louisville, who have no place to live and no food to eat. Kids just like us. It made me want to cry, I had to help out,” said one young student. “Learning to help others is part of the training at Hwang’s Martial Arts. Martial Arts is about self confidence, discipline and community,” explained Grand Master Hwang.
Students from Hwang’s Martial Arts spent weeks working on demonstrations, selling tickets and collecting large cans of food for Wayside. At the conclusion of the day, the results of their efforts were announced. The students had collected $12,292.99 and 274 cans of food. Students of all ages formed a bucket brigade and passed the cans hand to hand out of the Hall into a truck bound for Wayside.
On Saturday, August 1st, Reverend Bart Smith visited Hwang’s Martial Arts’ North Hurstbourne campus to formally accept the donation. “In addition to fund raising and collecting food, Hwang’s provides training to the people at Wayside. Lack of self confidence is a common factor among the homeless. Here, the kids learn self-confidence, and they teach it to their parents. ”
Patrick Lowe D.C. / Wes Harris / Maria Pois / JC Williams
