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April 2009
In this issue:
- Spirit Challenges: Planned or not, How we Meet Them Defines Us
- Upcoming Events
- Co-Executive Director Sarah Ludden Receives Unsung Heroine Award
- Thousand Waves Partners with the Ounce of Prevention Fund
- Thousand Waves now Tweets!
- Community Partner News
- Our Experience at Honbu
- Black Belt Test at Sun Dragon Seido Karate
- Congratulations to all Karateka that Promoted in March, 2009!
Spirit Challenges: Planned or not, How we Meet Them Defines Us
By Pat Broughton, Chair of the TW Board of Directors
Spirit Challenge: A difficult and sometimes seemingly overwhelming event or circumstance, either pre-arranged or spontaneous, that is physically, emotionally, and/or mentally taxing.
Some people seem to be genetically drawn to spirit challenges. They walk 220+ miles on the John Muir Trail. They ride their bicycles across the state of Iowa. They swim in the Arctic Ocean. They delight in pushing beyond their perceived limits. They appear to experience an unadulterated joy in confronting a spirit challenge head on.There are others (like me) who don’t like particularly spirit challenges. We don’t like being pushed out of our comfort zone, and we don’t like being taxed beyond what we perceive as our limits. And why, we wonder, would anyone deliberately and willingly plan and take on a spirit challenge? Life seems quite challenging enough, thank you, without intentionally adding to the difficulty.
Read the rest of Pat's insights
Violence Prevention Workshop: "When We're a Witness to Violence: How to Help Without Getting Hurt"
Sat. May 9th, 1:00-4:00pm
Instructors: Nancy Lanoue & Jeff Edwards
Limited space is available for this one time workshop, which is open to adults and teens. $40. Scholarship assistance available.
Spirit Challenge 2009
Sunday, May 24th; Saturday, May 30th & Sunday, May 31st
Spirit Challenge, our annual spring fundraising event, offers Thousand Waves members and fitness enthusiasts the opportunity to take on both physical and “fiscal” challenges in support of Thousand Waves. Participants sign on for athletic and martial challenges and set a fundraising goal for themselves. They train for the events they will be entering and solicit pledges from family, friends, and colleagues.
Events take place on Sun. May 24th, Sat. May 30th, and Sun. May 31st. Funds raised – the 2009 goal is $60,000 – support Thousand Waves’ health, empowerment and violence prevention programs.
Register by visiting the Spirit Challenge website or visit staff at the front desk. There are many opportunities to challenge and enjoy yourself, even if you are not a member. Consider taking on some – or perhaps all – of the following events:
- Fundraising Challenge Bike the Drive on the TW Spirit Challenge Team 3 / 6 / 9 Mile Run / Walk Soul Survivor Muscle Endurance Board Breaking Performance Sparring Pre-Sparring / Conditioning Kata
- Special Spectator Opportunity: A martial arts performance by senior black belts on Sunday, May 31st, at the Drucker Center, 1535 N. Dayton St. 10:00-11:30am. It will include traditional kata, weapons demonstrations, board breaking and much more.
Thousand Waves' Community Impact
Co-Executive Director Sarah Ludden Receives Unsung Heroine Award
By Pamela Robert, Ph.D.
Kyoshi Sarah Ludden recently received The Unsung Heroines Award from Cook County Board President, Todd H. Stroger, and the Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues. The award was in recognition of her work and dedication to Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center and to issues of nonviolence, peace, and justice, as they pertain to women and girls.
The following essay describing Kyoshi Sarah’s Ludden’s work was submitted to Andrea A. Raila, Cook County Women’s Commissioner for the 12th District. Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool, reviewed all the applications, and selected Kyoshi Sarah to receive the Annual Unsung Heroine Award for the 12th District. An awards breakfast celebrating Kyoshi Sarah and the other award recipients from across Cook County was held on March 13, 2009 at the Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall. Please join us in celebrating Kyoshi Sarah’s contributions to women and girls, and congratulating her for receiving this much-deserved award.
Thousand Waves Partners with the Ounce of Prevention Fund
By P. Marie O'Brien, Director of Violence Prevention Programs
Class participants say “Excellent, interesting, empowering info!” and “A new perspective to domestic violence issues.”
In March, Thousand Waves provided four trainings for the Ounce of Prevention Fund, a statewide organization, presenting two programs in Chicago and two in Springfield. The Ounce of Prevention Fund requested we train staff who do child abuse prevention work, specifically with new mothers. Entitled “Staying Safe: The Cycle of Violence, Self-Defense and Reducing Aggression,” these day-long trainings provided strategies for increasing safety while traveling to and working within clients’ homes. Thousand Waves also addressed general safety concerns using our “Five Fingers of Self-Defense” (Think, Yell, Run, Fight, Tell) model, and considered ways to recognize and interrupt cycles of violence and abuse. Read more about the trainings
By Jayne Spottswood & Rebecca Epstein
Thousand Waves is officially on Twitter! In case you don’t already know, Twitter is the fastest-growing social networking service on the Web, and features real-time micro-blogging over all internet browsers and Web-enabled mobile devices.
With over 700 followers in the first 2 weeks – and growing! – we are looking to reach out to our members, their families, local supporters and Community Partners. Please feel free to start following us for Thousand Waves updates, martial arts news, and more! There is a link to register or login on the top-right of our page, but if you have any questions about registering or using Twitter, just let Jayne (jspottswood@thousandwaves.org) know!
We look forward to tweeting with you!
Thousand Waves sincerely thanks its newest 2009 – 2010 Community Partners and encourages members and associates to support their businesses:
Fifth Third Bank, a leading Community Partner, is currently coordinating an ambitious Fill the Pantry food drive. They are attempting to collect enough food for 53,000 meals by the end of the month! Thousand Waves encourages readers to participate by dropping off canned or dry goods at any Fifth Third location in Chicagoland.
Fifth Third Bank is committed to helping the communities it serves. During these uncertain and challenging economic times, more and more men, women and children are seeking assistance from area food pantries. Fifth Third's Fill The Pantry is a large-scale effort to raise much needed food. Together, more than 2,000 Fifth Third colleagues will join force with our customers and community to bring food to hungry people. Fifth Third has partnered with three major food banks: Greater Chicagoland Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. Supporters of Thousand Waves can donate non-perishable food items between now and April 30 at any Fifth Third banking center location throughout Chicagoland. Together, we can make a difference!
By Sensei Martha Thompson
Thousand Waves has five new Sensei: Sally Alatalo, Triston Alvarez, Debbie Gould, Wai-Kwong Kwok, and Martha Thompson. Our test at Honbu was over a five-day period, ending with an overnight test which lasted from 5:30 pm – 6:30 am. Read more about our preparation and the themes that emerged during our test: beginners’ mind, keep it simple, expect nothing but ready for anything, and giving support.
Black Belt Test at Sun Dragon Seido Karate
By Kyoshi Sarah Ludden
Jun Shihan Nancy and I had the honor and privilege of visiting Sun Dragon Seido Karate in Austin, Texas, this past March to teach and support Senpai Joy Williamson in the promotion exam of two students, Graham Smith for adult black belt and Leila Newton for junior black belt. What a fun and inspiring visit!
Congratulations to all Karateka that Promoted in March, 2009!
| Annalise Nordgren Adeline Gouda Aiden Grant Aiden Randall Alexander Bender Hooper Anna Taft Annie Gregory Ashley Savoie Ben Rachlis Brendan Heavey Carolyn Master Cesareo Moreno Charlie Bauer Claudia Beltran Clio Kidwell Danielle Wash David Fite Debbie Gould Dharma Seda Gonzalez Eli Disman-Eager Erich Hene Evan Burleigh Evilene Bowley Gabriel Moreno George Day Grace Killackey Grace O'Connell Graham Smith Greg Tomek Halle Gold Hannah Rachlis Hayden Parkhill Ian Kidwell Ian Speth Ismael Biyashev Jack Herlihy Jack Savoie Jacob Baumstark Jake Caruso James Fraser James Hampton Jeffrey Gore Johnny Hollowed Joshua Baumstark Joy Williamson Julissa Tapia Katie Speth Kimo Smith Laura Glenzer Lazar Sestovic Louis Armstrong Maggie Darrah Malia Washington Maribel Melendez |
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