Saturday, September 26, 2009

A Fundraiser for Team Trinidad to Compete at World TKD Championships

When our elite athletes qualify for top international competitions, West Side Taekwondo is there to support with kick-a-thons to fundraise. Last time, we helped Chinedum Osuji (welterweight, Trinidad and Tobago) go to the 2004 Athens Olympics. This time, the stage is the 2009 World Taekwondo Championships, and we’re sending the next generation there.

World Taekwondo Championships
Held every other year by the World Taekwondo Federation, the World Taekwondo Championships this year will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark this October. 140 national teams will be bringing 1,000 athletes to compete. This top level competition represents the best of the Olympic spirit.

Dorian Alexander (featherweight, Trinidad and Tobago)
Dorian Alexander is a long-time member of the Trinidad and Tobago National Taekwondo Team. He has competed in numerous international competitions representing his country, most recently at the 2008 Pan American Taekwondo Championships in Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, Mr. Alexander won a Silver Medal at the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Taekwondo National Championships. He is currently finishing his medical studies.

Lenn Hypolite (lightweight, Trinidad and Tobago)
Lenn Hypolite is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago National Taekwondo Team, and moved to New York and began training at West Side Taekwondo in 2008. In October 2008, Mr. Hypolite won a Silver Medal at the prestigious Pan American Taekwondo Championships in Puerto Rico. Mr. Hypolite was also a Gold Medalist at the 2009 AAU Taekwondo National Championships this June.

To learn more about the athletes, visit westsidetkd.com and follow their athlete blogs.

The Kick-a-Thon
A Kick-a-Thon is an event in which the team kicks together as many times as possible, challenging us in the spirit of teamwork and athleticism. Therefore, we ask for you to push us by contributing by the kick! We will also demonstrate several board breaks. You may purchase a board and specify a team member to perform a break for five dollars. We plan to complete 1,000 kicks. We invite you to come and cheer us on at this exciting event as we front kick, turning kick, back kick, spin hook kick and more.

Thanks for showing your support!

Information for West Side Taekwondo Students

3 WAYS TO DONATE

1. Donation per Kick
• West Side Taekwondo students (this means you!) will perform 1000 kicks each.
• A donation of $0.01 (a penny) per kick yields a contribution of $10.
• Tip: Ask the sponsor to support YOU for every kick you throw. “Just 1 penny a kick!”
• Fill out the “Pledge/Kick” section of the form and show the total. The amount donated is: 1000*(pledge/kick) dollars.

2. Board Breaks
• Sponsors can purchase a board to have broken at the cost of $5/board.
• Sponsors can choose someone to break the board (within reason). Again, if you know the person, ask him/her to have YOU break it.
• If your sponsor wishes to suggest a technique, make sure that it is within reason. Don’t sell anything you can’t deliver.
• Fill out the “# of Boards” section of the form and show the total. The amount donated is: 5 * (# of Boards) dollars.

3. Flat Donation
• Sponsors give the team money, plain and simple.

MONEY ACCEPTED
• Cash is preferred. We suggest having a big manila envelope to keep it in. Keep the money safe!!! You earned it.
• Tip: It’s much easier to collect the money at the time of the donation so you don’t have to chase your sponsors down later.

PRIZES
• So you can’t compete at World Championships yet, but you can compete with each other to raise the most money! The top 3 fundraisers will win the following prizes:
- 1st and 2nd place: a private lesson each with either Dorian or Lenn.
- 3rd place: a West Side Taekwondo t-shirt.

THE EVENT
• Why not encourage sponsors to come out and watch? I’m sure your friends want to see you breaking your boards! Plus, it’ll probably set up a means to donate before/after the Kick-a-thon.
• Saturday, September 26, 2009, at West Side Taekwondo. The time will be announced as the Kick-a-Thon gets closer.

Sue Etkin

Ultra  51 + 2nd Dan Forms – Gold 

Christina Park

Women’s Welter – 3rd

Laura Spero

 Red Belt Forms – Gold

Red Belt Sparring – Gold

JUNIOR OLYMPICS:

Patrick Brady

10 – 11 Black Belt Forms – Bronze

Maggie Brady

10 – 11 Black Belt Forms – Silver

10 – 11 Black Belt Sparring (Elite Open) – Gold

10 – 11 Black Belt Sparrring (World Class) – Bronze

POOMSAE TRIALS:

Christina Park – 19- 30 Female – 3rd

Christina Park / Scott Etkin – 14 – 35 Pairs – Finalists

Summer schedule is in effect till August 30th.

Click here for the New York Times Article

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