Punch & Kick-a-thon 2010 October 22, 2010

CHICAGO-- "Thousand Waves grows great kids,” one of its younger members noted a while back. Growing great kids is in line with its mission, and on October 23, 2010, around 150 of Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center, NFP’s youngest members will grow a little bit more as they participate in the Center’s Punch & Kick-a-Thon 2010. The event-- in which a thousand punches and kicks are completed in a single workout --will take place at the Drucker Center, located at 1535 N. Dayton St. in Chicago. Punch & Kick-a-thon is an annual fundraiser to support Thousand Waves’ violence prevention and traditional martial arts programs, funding scholarships and work in violence prevention throughout Chicago.
In striving to reach their goal of $30,000, the kids will challenge themselves both physically and mentally. “Asking themselves to be brave enough to solicit pledges gives our kids an opportunity to learn and practice how to speak up and advocate for something important to them, and that’s a valuable life skill,” says Thousand Waves’ Co-Director Nancy Lanoue, a 6th degree black belt who oversees the training of the center’s youth members.
Since 1985, Thousand Waves has awarded over $230,000 in scholarships for martial arts and violence prevention classes for children, teens and adults, and for workshops and courses for staff and clients at non-profit organizations with no budget for staff professional development. Other programs benefiting from the fundraiser include the Adapted Seido Karate (ASK) program for children with disabilities and Meditations on Activism, a free public lecture series that raises awareness about global conflicts, explores the causes of violence, and suggests non-violent solutions.

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ABOUT THOUSAND WAVES MARTIAL ARTS & SELF DEFENSE CENTER, NFP:
Thousand Waves fosters fitness, healing, empowerment and peacemaking through violence prevention and traditional martial arts programs for adults and children five and up. In their training at Thousand Waves, kids gain a spirit of compassion, giving and volunteerism they then carry with them into all areas of their lives. For more information visit www.thousandwaves.org, or call 773-472-7663.