KIAP! NEWSLETTER MAY 2020

Mark Cashatt’s Taekwon-Do School, Inc.

Taekwon students, parents and friends,

We have all heard so much about the current situation in the world and I think it is just up to us, individually and as a family, community and region of the world to get away from the negative parts by replacing it with positive parts.  No doubt everyone’s life has changed significantly in such a short period of time.  We have all been tested in the tenets and are being tested in so many ways….I don’t mean for COVID-19, but that too I suppose.  We are all getting through this and it will be a different world.  It’s up to us as to what we are going to do as far as planning, repairing, and taking steps to feel great positive growth in the next bunch of months.

Many of our families have the good fortune of being able to continue to work our career using the internet.  But even though these folks are working, life is different with being isolated.  Some of us haven’t been able to work at our career, but there has been help from our Government and generous community groups, churches and generous people to keep our families going.  For some folks, our job is now more difficult and some folks have a lot of time on their hands. And our kids have really grown in these past few months.  Thank goodness the school districts jumped right on the ONLINE wagon so our kids could finish their school year.

This has been the perfect time to see what each of us would do with unusual chunks of free time.  I am thinking some of us might be in better physical shape now….and some are in worse shape.  Some of us have had the time to hone our TKD techniques and some of us have not done a kick since March.  Some of us have been doing a lot of home improvements and many of us have been taking walks and now know our neighborhoods better than before.

I am very thankful our dojang moved out of the Forman Road location last year because to keep up with that rent during these months would have been impossible.  Sometimes our timing is just right.

Many of our students have continued training with our 12 ONLINE CLASSES on the website.  I am urging students to do each class 3 times because they are all good classes with lots of information and techniques to work on.  I have been asking students to send videos of their patterns and I have been having fun picking the patterns apart.  We have also been offering ZOOM classes which have been going very well.

I am hoping soon we can go back to outdoor classes.  I think that is the way it will start.  It may be a while until we go back to the Heritage…depending on the Governor’s restrictions but if school starts in September we should be okay to go back to indoor classes then.

THOMAS V. CHIPLEY MEMORIAL AWARD

Back in March I reminded everyone that since 2006 our dojang has been giving an award to the Souderton Area High School graduate who demonstrates INDOMITABLE SPIRIT.  The monetary award was usually raised by a raffle at our big TKD tournament we would have in the Spring, but did not this year.  I sent out a request for anyone who wanted to contribute towards the award which was usually around $100.  I got an overwhelming response and we actually raised $800!  So when I discussed the prize with the staff at Souderton High School, I decided to give this year’s recipient $250 which leaves money for the next couple years.  The staff at the High School will keep the remainder in their bank until we use it up.  Thank you so much to all who donated.

CONGRATULATIONS TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE TESTED!

Back in March, the Thursday before we started the lockdown, we had a Gup Test which promoted Josalin Fennell to Red Belt, along with Andrew Baran and Terese Baran, who earned their Blue Belt – Red Stripe.

In April we held our first ZOOM Gup Test promoting Arianna Druckenmiller to Green Belt – Blue Stripe along with Connor Mehaffey and Beth Mehaffey earning their Green Belts!

Then on April 11, we had a ZOOM BLACK BELT TEST!  The applicants had gone through the Mentoring Classes and they had broken their requirement in boards the night before the lockdown!!  Our new Black Belts include Jennifer Rosenblum for 3rd DAN, Ethan Kanike, Fay Dolan and Dan Dolan for 2nd DAN along with Maya Kanike and Colton Musselman earning their 1st DAN.  The week before the test many of us watched Colton give his Black Belt speech on FACEBOOK!  Maya had given her speech the week before the lockdown.

In May we only had one student test and that was Josiah Musselman for his Yellow Belt – Green Stripe!  The test was held at the Musselman house in their driveway with me sitting at a safe distance grading Josiah.  He did a great job!

Congratulations to all these students and all our students who are persevering through this unusual time of our lives.  We will always remember the Spring of 2020!

In the next few months, we just take things one day at a time.  We should plan for the future and use this time the best way we can.  Remember being a TKD student, your job is to help your family in a positive way.  We are the ones that must make the difference!

Please get back to me with any questions or suggestions.  Send me videos of your patterns and please consider a ZOOM private lesson….or in person at a safe distance.  Please let me know if there is any way I can help you and/or your family and of course, stay safe.

Take care,

Mark Cashatt