How we began...

 

      K.I. Tang Soo Do Foundation intends to offer quality martial arts with little to no financial cost to the student. Now I know it sounds too good to be true or almost like a dream. Well that is how it started, as a dream that needed the right people to help it become a reality. If you truly want something to happen, you have to believe in it and work hard for it. Nothing good in life comes easy. Right? To explain how we came about we need to go back to 2014....

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     David E Praim and Jacob E Mathers met through their involvement within the martial arts and Tang Soo Do. Mr. Praim was attending tournaments throughout the state as a judge/referee and offered to share that experience with Mr. Mathers who had ambitions of becoming a competitor. Often, these tournaments were hours away. With many miles between them and their destination, the two of them had many conversations pertaining to life, society, martial arts, politics, their families and themselves. From these many hours of conversation the two became very close and personal friends. 

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     Both gentlemen had a desire for the arts and felt that many of the philosophies made them better individuals. If not for the arts, both questioned how they may have ended up in life. Being living testimonies of the benefits of the arts, and how it affected them in a positive manner, they started discussing how they could offer training to others who would benefit from it the most. The biggest obstacle was being able to overcome the cost associated with training for those who were not as financially able as others. 

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     David and Jacob had a vision to make a positive impression on the world through the martial arts. But in order to instill the values and knowledge they have obtained from martial arts onto others, they needed to put their conversations into action. In 2016 they began to form a non-profit foundation with the goal and mission to find a way to deliver quality martial arts to those who could not afford it. 

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So now here comes the "how it works" part...

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     K.I. Tang Soo Do Foundation is a non-profit for a reason. We reach out to corporations, private individuals, city, state and federal organizations with the goal to receive financial assistance through grants and donations. We have fund-raising events and everything you would expect a non-profit to do in order to raise money to keep tuition low, or for some, at no cost. Currently, all of our students receive uniforms and equipment at an affordable cost and train for a minimal, or depending on circumstance, no tuition. Patches, training equipment, materials and belts for testing are funded by the foundation. If a student is without gear, we assist with the cost or help find slightly used gear that they can have as their own. We have recently opened up our school in downtown Battle Creek and are seeking new students and have created partnerships with other charities within the city. In order to do this for others on a larger scale, we depend on funding from outside resources. 

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Everything cost something...     

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     So, it sounds great right? I mean who doesn't want something for free? Free martial arts classes?!?! SIGN ME UP!!!

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Well, we didn't say it was for free...

     K.I. Tang Soo Do Foundation is determined to be benevolent and teach benevolence as well. Any students who are not in a position to donate financially must donate time and volunteer to a local charity aligned within our program. We have already opened up the discussion with local charities and community programs that are very interested in supporting what we are trying to do. This is how we bring martial arts and the community together. This is how we give our youth something positive to work towards. This is where we take the steps to co-exist with all members of our community and this is how we intend to change the world, one kick at a time.

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     If you are inspired by what we are doing and want to help financially, please feel free to donate by clicking the PayPal button on your screen. If you cannot donate financially but want to help, please reach out to us and see how you can get involved. We are brand new at all of this, so please be patient with us. We are learning something new to better ourselves, just like our students. 

 

     

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