Press Release For Epic Martial Art's Kick A Thon

Sag Harbor, New York, April 26^th, 2012-

Sensei Michelle Del Giorno and the children’s karate students at Epic Martial Arts-EAST are participating in a “Kick A Thon” on Friday June 1^st at 5 pm.   This charity event is to raise awareness and donations for their Swim Across America Team. 

Sensei Michelle, her students and their parents are expecting to complete 10,000 kicks with a pledge goal of $1,500.00!

 The mission and purpose of Swim Across America is to raise money and awareness for cancer research, treatments and support.  Students, parents and instructors of Epic Martial Arts will participate in a ½ mile open water swim on Saturday July 7^th in Gardiner’s Bay in Amagansett.

“This project is an example of how the children of our community can make a difference by participating in acts of kindness,” says Sensei Michelle. “ We are teaching our young children that they can be leaders in our community. Our students learn the value of helping others by raising awareness and donations to fight cancer.”

Epic Martial Arts is participating in the Swim Across America event in memory of Alex Koehne, a young Sag Harbor resident who passed away from cancer in March 2007.  The students are dedicating their swim to Wendy Tarlow, a parent of one of Epic Martial Art’s youngest students.  Wendy has been courageously fighting her battle with Follicular Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“I heard about this Hamptons swim shortly after my first chemotherapy treatment in 2010,” says Wendy.  “I had no idea this was a national organization that had events all over the country with most of their proceeds going directly to cancer research.”

Sensei Michelle conducts children’s karate classes for ages 3 and up and self-defense, martial arts and kickboxing classes for teens and adults.  The students at Epic Martial Arts-EAST regularly participate in community service projects as part of their black belt training.  For more information please visit the website at www.hamptonskarate.com or call 631 725-5425.  If you are interested in sponsoring a student donations for the Kick A Thon can be made at Epic Martial Arts-EAST, 75 Main Street in Sag Harbor or to Swim Across America at www.teamtarlowsaa.com

Martial Arts and Bullying

Sadly millions of our children are bullied each year in the United States.  Children are committing suicide from repeated bullying from their peers.  In today’s society children are being harassed in and out of the classroom.  Social media has become the new venue for bullying as children are subjected to harmful videos, text messages and Facebook posts.  These harmful incidents have long lasting effects on children who are the victims of bullying. 

As parents, we can help protect our children from bullying by enrolling them in a Martial Arts program.  A Martial Arts program is unlike other sports as it teaches children to respect others through kindness and empathy.  The philosophy of Martial Arts builds character from the inside out.  Martial Arts students develop the mental strength to be leaders in their community.  The moral compass that is developed by Martial Arts training not only protects children from being bullied but gives them the super-hero strength to stop bullying when others fall victim to such cruelty.  Martial Arts students develop an assertive attitude that builds their self-esteem.  Children in Martial Arts training manifest the philosophy of the Martial Arts-courtesy, respect, focus, concentration, self-discipline, self-control-and apply them to their community and the world.  Children in Martial Arts training learn to overcome their fears by persevering and facing challenging obstacles. The Martial Arts is not about kicking, punching and throwing. It is about building a more peaceful world. This philosophical training builds the skills that parents want to see in their children.  Martial Arts is the best training for a child that goes far beyond self-defense; it protects our children by developing skills to stop bullying.